If the Frame Fits
by Bdoyle
Summary: Alternate story line to the Space Saga - The team is living in the burnout base, when Simmons discovers a secret buried in SHIELD that effects all. Fitz develops a program to help, but problems develop, severe headaches, unexplained viruses and avatars that can leap into reality. Will this program help get back the truths they've hidden or cause heartache they can't control?
1. Chapter 1

**If the Frame Fits**

"You're _sure_ about this." Phil Coulson stared at the form in his hand, occasionally glancing up at the young scientist that stood in front of his desk.

"Yes, sir. I've checked it myself a dozen times and had three of my best techs recheck it a dozen more. If you'd like I can send it out to an independent lab and have it checked there." Jemma shook her head, frustrated with the man's refusal to believe or just plain stunned by the test results before him.

Phil shook his head, set the forms down, removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "How can this be possible?" He asked, not really expecting an answer. He stood and walked around the desk to the large window and stared into the distance.

Jemma waited a beat then stepped behind him. "I know it's somewhat of a shock, sir, but at the same time it is rather pleasant news." She kept her voice light, hoping to help him through the shock of the information she had delivered.

"All these years…" he ignored her statement and spoke more to himself than to the young woman next to him. "I never…I thought…I believed she was…that she…" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before addressing the young woman. "Why wasn't this done before? Why now?" He wasn't accusing or blaming the scientist, just curious as to the reason it had taken almost five years for this information to reach him.

Jemma opened her mouth to speak, and then stopped trying to form the right explanation. It wasn't easy. The whole situation was more of an accident than anything else. "Well, sir…there just was never any reason to do this and then well, there was all that business with those wretched people and well…you remember…" She was hedging and she knew it. No sense dredging up all that sludge. It was water under the bridge. No one could change it. It was all in the past…well it was…in the past…maybe now, not so much.

Phil turned and looked the young woman in the eye. "You are absolutely sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt?"

"Yes, sir, absolutely," she breathed a frustrated sigh. How many more times was he going to ask and how many more times would she need to tell him she was sure? "Sir, we tested all five samples. We tested them in a dozen different combinations. The one on your desk is the only one that gives a ninety-nine point nine, nine, nine percent chance that the samples are biologically related. There is no doubt sir."

As the girl spoke, Phil had moved back to his desk and picked up the form, staring at it again. "Simmons, this just can't be possible." He breathed as he dropped into his chair and set the form in front of him. "How will I tell her…how can I explain…bring that all up after all this time?"

Jemma stepped to the desk. "If will help sir, I can explain to her how this occurred." The young woman immediately blushed. "Well, not how _it_ occurred. I mean she is a grown up. I'm sure she knows…I mean I know she knows how this happens…she does have some experience…"

Jemma fell over her words trying to back out of what she had attempted to say.

Phil looked up at her for a moment, now holding the form again. "In light of this," he shook it lightly at her, "that is something I would rather not like to think about." Jemma shut her mouth with a snap and nodded quickly. "And I was not referring to her…"

"Ohhhhh, you meant Agent May," Jemma realized. "Well, I can help with that as well." She suddenly realized the fact in that matter and blushed again.

"I'm sure Agent May does not need a biology lesson either, Simmons. That is not what demands explanation. It's just how after all this time…" He trailed off, again studying the form intently.

"No matter how long you stare at it, sir, the results remain the same." Jemma reasoned. "The techs were cataloging samples and running control tests. It was merely by accident that those samples were chosen. Sir, they were blind samples taken from a variety of sources, routine medical exams, medical procedures, injury records, blood samples, tissue samples and in one case you certainly know the samples were from a post mortem procedure. The odds of those five samples being chosen not once but twice…well, they are astronomical." Jemma actually smiled at the unlikelihood of the situation. "And yet, there it is sir, in black and white…or blue and red and a bit of purple." She pointed over the paper with her index finger. He glanced up at her once, then set the form back on the desk.

"When Agent Collins, brought the results to my attention it was only because she was so surprised that there was a familial match within the agency. She was almost certain it was not protocol. That's when I took the samples and tested them myself. I got the same results and as the head of the department was able to ascertain the identities of the donors. I assure you sir, I was just as shocked. That is why I ran the tests again and again. I had Fitz run his own version, without telling him the identities, at first, but even he was amazed at the positivity of the match."

Phil stared into space and tapped his finger on the desk as she spoke. "I guess, sir…what I don't quite understand is…I mean I just never realized that you and…well, sir…I didn't think you were that close…" Jemma traced the wood grain on the edge of the desk, consciously avoiding eye contact with her boss.

"Once," he said softly, still tapping his finger. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"I'm sorry sir, it's really not any of my business. I just don't know how to help." Simmons sighed in resignation.

Phil rose and walked to the window, once again staring at some point in the distance or perhaps some point in the long distant past. "We were young and on assignment…Paris…a simple job, in and out. We celebrated…a bit too much, I guess." Jemma could tell he was smiling even looking at the back of his head from where she still stood in front of the desk. She smiled in spite of herself, unsure whether to stay and listen to him relive his memory or silently slip out give him his privacy. Before she could decide he turned and smiled at her. "Champagne," he said as he motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs at his side. "We splurged," he laughed a bit. "It was Paris, after all and we only had one night…just that one night…just one." His voice grew softer and slower as he remembered. "The next morning she was off to Copenhagen and I left for Melbourne. We didn't see each other for months." He looked at his hands hanging limply between his legs then interlocked his fingers and took another deep breath. "I tried to contact her…left messages that weren't returned. I heard bits and pieces through other agents. She was in Brussels and Shanghai then transferred back to the Hub for whatever reason." He looked up at the scientist who remained silent. "Even heard a rumor that she'd been hurt…that she'd been put on medical leave, but no one would validate it." He shook his head and seemed dejected but smiled weakly. "How we both ended up in Xiangtan is anybody's guess, especially in her condition." Jemma smiled, not really sure how to respond.

Phil stood and walk across the room toward the door. Jemma was sure he would now ask her to leave, but instead he paced back to the desk and tapped two fingers on that damn form before walking around the desk and back to the window. She remained seated and watched as he wrestled with what he was thinking or trying to put into words.

"I knew as soon as I saw her, especially the way she glared at me…accused me…blamed me." He laughed for real. "I told her she had no right being where she was in her condition. She told me I had no right to tell her what to do." He stopped and became serious again. "There was a report of a gifted in the area, we were…"

"The Welcome Wagon…" Jemma finished for him then cringed at her terrible habit of finishing people's sentences. She didn't' do it quite so much anymore but sometimes….

Coulson just nodded. "That's what we thought. We met with the team and got started. Someone figured a woman in May's condition might be an asset on this mission." He shook his head. "We didn't get far before it was clear we were not going to make it. There weren't a lot of hospitals in the area but our guide got us to what he said was a missionary clinic."

For a few uncomfortable minutes the room fell silent as Phil sat down next to Jemma and she considered once again the possibility of excusing herself. "There was one doctor and two women in the same condition. He was exhausted and going back and forth between them. I stayed with her as long as they'd let me…" He laughed and folded his hands together. "Guess they hadn't caught up with the rest of the world in that little place. That was no place for a man unless he was the doctor…at least I thought that was what the older woman was scolding me for as she pushed me out of the room." He grew quiet again and looked toward the window, drawing deep breaths and letting them out through puffed cheeks. "It was about twenty minutes…twenty minutes…the doctor came to me and offered his sympathy, held my hand and patted my shoulder…then left me alone with May…we held each other and cried…cried for the loss of something neither of us ever had a chance…twenty minutes…" He looked at Jemma and blinked away tears. "It was the longest and shortest twenty minutes of my life."

"I'm so sorry, sir." Jemma fought to control her own tears.

Coulson stood as his sorrow turned to anger. "He told us she was dead…that she was stillborn. He let us hold that cold, blue little body and helped us make arrangements. We put her in the ground there and walked away. We didn't talk about it, ever. We just let it die…just like we thought she did." Coulson walked to his desk again and opened a small panel inside the top drawer. A tiny flap opened on top of the desk revealing a small black button. He pushed it twice then moved to the wall directly across the room. A large round clock resembling a ship's porthole clicked as he opened it as one would a small door, revealing a numbered panel. Coulson tapped in a code then placed his palm against the panel. It made a soft ping before it clicked opened. He reached inside and withdrew a manila envelope. He held it for a moment then nodded to himself.

Walking across the room in silence he handed the envelope to Jemma and nodded toward it, giving her permission to look inside. Jemma could not understand the Chinese characters on the forms but she recognized the information someone had scrawled in English. The date was familiar. Time of death was listed at nine fifty-two in the evening. Her breath caught as she looked at the name 'Baby Girl Coulson' and then to the names of two people she held dear listed as parents. The second form in the envelope was even more heartbreaking…a birth certificate for a baby that never drew life's breath. A form completed and signed seconds before the doctor also signed the death certificate. She held one form in each hand almost as if she were weighing them.

Coulson gently took them from the woman and held them in almost the same fashion. "I am so very sorry, sir." Jemma rose and placed a hand on his arm, not really sure it if were proper to offer sympathy for this child.

Looking from one form to the other, Coulson smiled sadly. "We didn't even name her."

"Oh sir, it must have been so devastating…for both of you." She comforted, patting his arm gently.

He dropped both forms to the floor and walked back to the desk. "I never thought we'd have to revisit this and now…." He picked up the form from his desk. "Now, after all this time…she's alive…and we never knew…never had the chance…never…"

Simmons retrieved the forms from the floor, examining them more closely as she moved to the desk. "But sir, you've found out that your daughter is alive…and…" She spoke without raising her head, squinting at the matching signatures on the forms.

"And I have to explain all of this to both of them." He started for the door. "We never had the chance to be a family, Simmons. I never got…we never were her parents…her life…we ne…"

"Sir," she interrupted with a start, walking toward him still staring at the forms in her hands. "Sir, look at this. Look at these signatures." She held the form out to him. Coulson looked for a moment then gave a slight shrug and handed them back. "Don't you see it sir, right there," she tapped the form in his outstretched hand.

Coulson pulled it back and stared at it again. "I am sorry, Simmons, but I can't really decipher doctor's hieroglyphics."

Jemma snatched the forms back and pointed at the small signature at the bottom of the form. "C. Johnson, sir, it says C. Johnson." Coulson could only return a perplexed look. "Do you remember the doctor, sir?"

"Simmons," Coulson sighed, "it was twenty-five years ago and he was the least of my concern that night. He could have been Dr. Jekyll and I wouldn't have noticed."

"If I'm correct sir, it is very possible that he was on call that very night." Simmons said with a quick nod.

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"Give me that!" May growled, masking every emotion boiling within her inside anger. Anger was easy. Anger hid everything. Anger kept all of her feelings in one neat package…one that no one would dare peak inside.

Coulson pulled his hand back and she snatched the form from his hands. He took a deep breath, quite astonished by the adverse reaction his friend had to his announcement. He expected a lot of things but never absolute fury.

"Is this some kind of joke? Because I will make someone's life very unpleasant." She crumpled the form in her fist and shook it in his face. "I don't like pranks, Coulson and this one is in very poor taste, even for you."

"Me?" His eyebrows rose to his absent hairline. "May this is not a joke. Simmons assures me she is absolutely certain this is accurate. It has been checked and rechecked, several times."

She took short breaths and blew them out in little puffs through her clenched teeth. "And who gave her permission to perform this test?" She spoke through the same tight jaw.

Phil moved closer and wrapped his hand around her clenched fist. "I explained that May. It was just a twist of fate."

May pulled her hand away and turned swiftly away from him, taking a deep breath. She hadn't thought of that night in years. She'd pushed it to the farthest corner of her mind and after Bahrain she'd convinced herself it was for the best. She never would have been a mother. How could she ever explain to her own child how she had taken the life of someone else's child? In her guilt ridden mind she called it even…a life for a life. Fate had taken her baby knowing she would one day be forced to take the life of a child who had no control over what she was or what she was doing. She drew a deep breath and brought her emotions under control once again but lost her hold as he placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently.

"I know…it's hard to think about that night…about…" Phil began.

Melinda twisted shaking him off. "Don't" she snarled through her teeth. "Don't," she closed her eyes and breathed the word.

Coulson dropped his hands and took a step back offering a wordless apology. "We believed we lost her, May. We didn't know she was right beside us." His words were almost a whisper, telling her while trying to console himself.

"We have to tell her, Phil. We have to tell her everything." She spoke without turning toward him, staring at the paper still squeezed in her fist.

Again Coulson wrapped his hand around hers and gently pried the form free. "We don't have much to tell other than this." He attempted to flatten the now wrinkled form, knowing Jemma could produce an exact duplicate.

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Daisy lounged back on the couch in the empty common room, feet on the coffee table and a large bowl of popcorn balanced on her belly. She tossed a kernel into the air and caught it easily. Her interest in the movie playing on the television had waned but it was quiet. No missions, no problems, nothing major knocking on their door…everyone just taking a breather….waiting for the next axe to fall.

Coulson cleared his throat as he entered the room. May followed close behind. The girl pulled herself upright in her seat, quickly dropping her sock covered feet to the floor. She placed the bowl on the table, quickly chewed and swallowed the handful she had just shoved in her mouth. As she started to rise Coulson dropped down on the couch next to her motioning for her to stay put. May lowered herself into the chair next to them.

Daisy looked from one to the other, suddenly fighting the ominous feeling that someone must have died. "What?" She sat up at the edge of the sofa, smiling nervously and looking from one to the other. "What's wrong? Who? Who's hurt?" She ran through every agent's name that was off base, then tried to remember where trusted allies might be.

May dropped her gaze to her hands, leaving the deed to Coulson. He reached out and took Daisy's hand. She pulled it back and bounced on the seat's edge. "Come on, just tell me." Again she looked at May, who refused to look back and then to Coulson who again reached for her hand.

"No one's hurt, Daisy." He offered. "We…May and I…we have something to tell you about your parents."

Daisy's scrunched up her face in confusion. "My _parents_? It's been like, what, two years. What…Did something happen to Cal?" Concern laced her tone.

May expelled a disgusted huff and turned away from the girl. Daisy narrowed her eyes, clearly confused by the older woman's reaction. She turned back to Coulson as she scooted even farther forward.

"Daisy," he began, then stopped realizing that really wasn't her name. No they hadn't named their baby, someone else did. He looked at the anxious young woman seated before him. Had he always known? Is that the connection he'd always had to her? "Daisy, some new developments have come to light and it's pretty certain that Cal and Jiaying aren't your parents."

"What?" Daisy reacted somewhere between a laugh and an 'I don't believe you'. "Well, they sure believed they certainly were." She snapped pushing away disturbing memories. She glanced quickly at May who still refused to meet her eye.

"The techs were cataloguing some samples in the lab. They compared some blind samples, testing a new piece of equipment Fitz developed and found this. He handed Daisy a piece of paper. She took it and glanced at it quickly, shrugged and handed it back.

"Lot's of squiggles and numbers, Coulson…means nothing to me." She told him.

"The blue…squiggles," he turned the paper and pointed to the figures using Daisy's terminology. "That's Cal's DNA, the red is Jiaying, purple is you. The numbers are the percentage of familiarity or the possibility of relationship."

The girl looked at Coulson, grimace and took the paper back, examining it a little closer. "Point zero three, two, four, four, one…" She looked up at the man seated next to her and laughed through her nose. "Snowball's chance in hell, huh?" He pursed his lips and smiled as she handed the paper back. Although her shoulders fell in defeat she quipped. "Well, I guess we can all rest easy then. I'm not a monster after all." She smiled and looked to May who let out a quick breath and shook her head but still looked away. "This some kind of a joke, Coulson? Simmons and Fitz getting bored with nothing to do but develop new technology?" She reached out and tapped a gentle fist on his shoulder. "Okay, tell them you got me and I owe them one…."

Coulson stared at the girl, his demeanor not changing. "This is the second test they did." He shook the paper a few times before he laid it on the table and picked up the other form he had placed there. "Here's the first." He handed it to her.

Daisy looked at the man and then at form in her hands. She studied it for a few seconds. This form had the same blue, red and purple squiggles but she could plainly see the places where they overlapped, where the bumps and curves matched like a kid's puzzle. She glanced at the number in the bottom corner…ninety-nine point nine, nine, nine. Even without that number she knew in this case that blue and red definitely made purple. She smiled as she realized what she held. "So if they got it right the first time, why screw it up the second?"

Coulson handed the original form to Daisy and nodded toward it. She put the form together, one in each hand and noticed the blue and red lines were completely different. The two individuals on the first form were not the two on the second. "So the lab rats accidentally found my parents, in a SHIELD data base. They're SHIELD agents…all along." She could feel the anger prickling up her back, in the tingle that threatened her fingertips as the pages vibrated in her hands.

Coulson took the forms from her and placed his hands over hers, feeling the same tingle. He locked his fingers around hers and waited for it to calm. "They weren't just any agents, Daisy. They are agents that have been close to you since the beginning, that have thought of you as their daughter from practically the first time you met." May let out a fluttery breath and both looked to her. Coulson smiled, "Even though one might not admit it readily."

Daisy stopped and looked from May to Coulson and then back again. She pulled her hands free and picked up the form again. "You? This is you? You and me?" She slapped the back of her fingers against the paper and forced herself not to yell. Coulson raised his brows and nodded. A feeling spread over her…she wanted it to be anger, but it was like warm honey just covering her in a comfort that was the thing she always needed. It was the feeling she kept waiting for with Cal and Jiaying…the feeling that never came.

"We understand you're angry." Coulson started. "There's a lot we need to tell you, but you have to believe that we did not know. If we did we would have moved heaven and earth to get you back."

Daisy wasn't listening. She'd turned away from Coulson and faced May watching as the woman struggled with her own feelings. Part of the girl wanted to jump from the chair and embrace the woman she had thought of as a mother for as long as she could remember. The other part knew that was impossible. Too much had happened between them, too many bridges had been burnt.

May finally looked her in the eye. "I tried to tell you once. I…"

"I know," Daisy smiled. "I'm sorry I didn't become what you wanted but I want you to know that my mother is everything I wanted her to be…everything I needed her to be."

Melinda was on her feet in an instant, Daisy wrapped in a tight embrace. "Don't you ever say you aren't what I wanted you to be. You are all that and more."

The family gathered together on the couch as Phil retold the story he had shared with Jemma hours earlier. May filled in the blanks.

They had drunk themselves silly at a sidewalk café on the **Champs-Elysées and wound up in a little hotel not far from there. She was sure they walked or staggered there arm in arm singing some silly nineteen eighties love song. They woke in the morning, hung over and picking up the clothes they'd dropped throughout the room. Daisy groaned. Once it would have been an exciting look back at their secret life, now it was just creepy. May laughed at Coulson's blush and told the girl that was all she needed to know about the night a little spark became what would be her life force.**

 **May knew something was not quite right a few weeks later. She used a home pregnancy test and stared at the little blue lines for almost fifteen minutes before she let herself believe what was happening. The decision was easy. She made an appointment with her doctor and began the trek of being a single parent. It wasn't until she ran smack into Coulson in China, after all that time did she have any intent of telling him about her 'condition'. He knew with one look.**

 **Then it happened. She had six weeks to go, six weeks before she had to worry about quitting her job to become a mother. This was a simple welcome wagon mission and Fury felt she and her condition would help calm the gifted they were sent to bring back. When her water broke on that crazy jeep ride, she knew it was not going to happen.**

 **Labor had not been horrible, but she did a lot of yelling and called Coulson some things she did not care to repeat and he could not recall. She remembered that little woman telling Phil he had to leave, that some times were not for men to witness. She laughed wondering if the woman knew how she'd gotten to that point in the first place. Then the doctor…he was young, she remembered and soft spoken, kind and concerned. He was in and out…tending to another woman who must have been having difficulty as he was much more concerned with her needs. She remembered feeling the pressure and him telling her to push and then hearing the wail of newborn life. It was then things got fuzzy. The doctor wrapped the baby in a white cloth and left the room quickly. She tried to call after him, but her throat was dry and she was strapped to a table with Phil nowhere in sight. It seemed like forever before he came back and told her he had done all he could but he could not help her child. Then he was gone, when he returned Phil was with him. The doctor explained to both of them that the child had not been breathing, he tried to revive her but there was little he could do. She insisted she heard the baby cry, but he told her that was the woman in the next area…that their babies had come within minutes of each other. However her baby was too small and could not survive. He said it was better this way and left. Phil held her. They cried together until they exhausted their tears.**

 **Coulson pulled the certificates from the envelope he had carried to the room and handed them to Daisy. She stared at both recognizing the signature on the bottom. "He switched me?" She whispered then looked up at Coulson and May. "He took me. He started everything." Daisy didn't want to cry, it was just silly to cry over something that could not be changed…something that she had lived and survived. They all had, but the tears fell despite her fight to stop them. "I'm sorry," she apologized as she quickly brushed the errant tears from her cheeks.**

 **Wrapping an arm around her shoulder Coulson comforted, "this is a lot for all of us to take in and it's going to take a while to figure it all out. I'm not even sure we can find out what really happened, but we're going to try. As far as Cal goes, he's already paid the price. I think what we all need is a good night's sleep before we delve into this any further."**

 **"** **But he took it all away," Daisy protested. "I never got to have a family…never got you to be my mom and dad because he tried to make me his and lost me anyway."**

 **May thanked the fates for what had happened and that her daughter had not grown up under the influence of Calvin Johnson and his deranged wife. What he and she could have turned the girl into was too frightening to imagine and that was if Jiaying had allowed her to grow up in the first place. May pushed the terrific scenarios out of her head. She did sympathize with Daisy's complaint. She had never held her baby, never watched her nurse or changed her. She missed her first steps…her first words…her first tooth and first day of school. She never tucked her in or read her a story or sang her a lullaby. She never scolded her or taught her manners or helped her with homework. The more she thought of everything she had missed in Daisy's life the more her heart broke. The more she thought of those things the more she realized Daisy and Phil had missed the same things and there was no way to get them back. No matter far they moved forward from this point, there would always be so much missing. It was like a void that would never be filled. One look at Phil and she could see the hole in his heart as well.**

 **Again Coulson suggested they all sleep on it. Nodding in agreement May rose and waited for the others to stand. Daisy stopped and looked at the form she had laid on the table, tracing one line on it with her index finger…** ** _'Baby Girl Coulson'_** **. "Did you have a name…I mean were you going to name me?" She wondered out loud.**

 **May smiled. She'd never had a chance to tell anyone the names she had chosen for her child. "Phillip Robert for a boy. You would have been Chyou-far…lovely Autumn flower, but Daisy suits you."**

 **Hours later Daisy lay awake in her bunk, staring at the ceiling and tapping her finger on the hands she had folded across her middle. There was a way, but getting anyone to agree to it would be almost impossible. She'd need Fitz's help…if he'd help…if he'd go there…**


	2. Chapter 2 - And So It Begins

**Chapter 2**

 **And So It Begins**

"No, no, no, no _and_ NO!" Fitz shook his head as he walked from point to point in the new lab. He picked up forms and tapped panels as he traveled.

"Come on, Fitz," Daisy urged. "I'm not asking you to recreate the whole thing, just a little piece. Like that demo you showed us." She leaned forward on the stool where she sat.

The man shook his head. "I cannot believe you, you of all people, would even suggest for a moment that we revisit that fiasco. Damn it, Daisy we almost ended the whole world! What is wrong with you?" He was failing miserably in his attempt to hold his temper. "You, yourself said it would take years…years, I remind you…to get over all the insanity we experienced in there!" He stopped and took a breath. "You almost died in there, Daisy. I…I almost killed you."

Daisy rose and walked closer to the man she considered more than a best friend. If she ever had a brother, a big brother, she'd want him to be Leopold Fitz. "But you didn't." She spoke softly. He refused to face her.

"I can't Daisy, I just can't." Fitz shook his head and picked at the staple in the stack of forms he held.

"You know about the DNA match, don't you?" Daisy asked and sighed as he nodded. "This is the only chance I…we have to create some kind of…of…"

"The memories won't be real and you'll still have all of those already in your head." He warned stoically as he stared at the blipping machine on the counter.

"But they'll be mine…mine with my parents, Fitz…my real, really my real parents." She tried another avenue.

Fitz spun around facing her. "It's not all sunshine and rainbows. Growing up is tough, Daisy, even with parents. And what if they turn out to be not so good? What if that changes you? What if that changes you into something you'd never thought you'd be? What if it lets you do things you never thought you'd do? What if you become the monster you've always feared?" Now he was shouting, projecting on her all the anguish he still harbored.

For a moment they merely stared into each other's eyes. Then she did something she hadn't done in a very long time. She pulled him into a hug and whispered close to his ear. "You have to forgive yourself Fitz. Like you said, it wasn't real." He hugged her back, then moved away once again checking and rechecking his machines.

Daisy slid back and sat on the table. "Besides, this is May and Coulson we're talking about. How could they mess things up? There the closest thing to perfect we have." She laughed at her statement. Fitz laughed through his nose in spite of himself. "They don't even know I'm asking." She looked down at her feet as she curled her fingers around the edge of the counter.

Fitz shook his head and laughed. "Already sneaking around behind your parents' back."

"Not off to a great start, am I?" Daisy smiled back. She slid off the counter and stood in front of him, placing a hand on his arm. "Please Fitz, just a little piece. You'll be in total control. No one else needs to know about it."

Fitz placed a hand over hers and marveled at how soft it was despite her tremendous power. "I covered for you once before, remember? It didn't turn out so well." Daisy nodded remembering how much he had done to keep her safe after she changed…changed and became, no realized she was inhuman. It made her think.

Daisy turned away from her friend and tapped a finger on her chin. "Fitz, did you run the DNA tests on your new machines?" He nodded. "There's no chance they're wrong?"

"Perhaps," he answered, causing her breath to catch. "A one in one hundred million chance of error and that would only be in the case of an operator's error." He continued. Daisy raised her brows. Fitz smiled. "I entered the data. I don't make mistakes…well, not mistakes of that kind." He frowned.

"When I thought Jiaying was my mother it made sense that I would…that I am inhuman…but she's not so how…" She wondered out loud.

"Genetics are tricky, they can skip around, bounce from generation to generation, dribble into one person, completely skip another and almost drown a third." Fitz shrugged. "Look at Senator Nadeen. Her brother survived for months in that cocoon and yet she had not a shred of inhuman genes, none whatsoever.

"But wouldn't that still mean that at least one of my parents had to carry that gene?" She inquired.

"Probably both," he replied automatically. "Given your enhanced ability and the fact you could hold the diviner without reaction."

"Do you think that's why Coulson didn't have the same reaction to the G-325 as all the others, I mean until much later?"

Fitz thought for a moment. "That certainly is possible. Although we might want to keep it to ourselves given that he may have survived terragenesis and not lost his arm."

Daisy grimaced. "All the tests were done on older samples, do you think…if everyone agrees you could run the test again on fresh samples?" Fitz nodded as he moved to pull a printout from one of the machines that had pinged its completed signal. He peered at it for a moment, deep in thought.

"I've already requested that May and Coulson provide samples. You'll need to do the same." She nodded her agreement.

"But won't my…I mean the change in my DNA won't that alter the results?" Daisy inquired.

"No, we're looking for something else. Some things stay the same Daisy, no matter what?" He assured her.

"Exactly my point!" She smiled getting back to their original conversation. "You let us into the new and improved framework, build some nice cozy, mommy and daddy time memories and we stay the same, no matter what. Just like you said."

Fitz shook his head. "That is a very bad idea, Daisy. All memories are not good ones, some things are quite painful." He warned. "Kids do dumb things and parents make a lot of mistakes." He stopped and took a breath. "And what about those things that hurt so much the first time? Are you truly ready to go through those things with your parents, to live their hurt? How much of your hurt are you willing to put them through?"

Daisy thought for a moment knowing the biggest hurt she ever had was not having them. Sure she'd done some dumb things as a kid. She broke her arm falling off a bike much too big for her to ride. She got caught shoplifting when she was ten and ran away at sixteen. Yeah, she made a lot of stupid mistakes but with a mom and dad maybe she wouldn't and if she did, well she'd take the consequences they doled out and love them anyway.

"But you need all those memories, Fitz. You take the good and the bad. All that stuff makes you who you are. Please, think about it."

"You're right," he agreed, "and different experiences make you a different person. Here you'll stay the same, but there…and how will you live with that when this is over?"

"You're born with your temperament, Fitz. Someone told me that once. Temperaments don't change, they just get pushed around a little."

"Daisy," Fitz looked at her over his brow. "You are nothing like were before you…since you became Daisy. Skye was an entirely different person."

"And she is still right here," Daisy slowly tapped her chest. "I'm still her and she's still me, but I've grown up quite a bit, Fitz and a little faster than most, but believe me that part of me is still alive and well."

"You hide that very well," Fitz shook his head.

Daisy smiled. "She's here when I need her."

"And what about your parents?" Fitz pondered. "They'll never to agree to this. I do not believe either of them will be any more anxious to do it than I am."

"But," she pointed a finger at him, "they might. If I can convince them, will you consider it?"

Fitz shook his head. "I will talk it over with Simmons, but I'm sure she will concur."

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"Have you lost your mind?" May sneered as she paced across Phil's office. "We're lucky we got out of there alive and you were not there as long as I was."

"May," Coulson attempted to make his case.

"No," she shook her head. "No, there is no way in hell I am going back there, Phil. I am not going back to hell. I've been there…twice…and I don't much care for either version and damn it, now I have to live with both. You want me to deal with a _third_?" She stood in front of him and sliced the air with her hand. "There is absolutely not one thing you can say that will convince me we should even consider such a half-assed idea!" She walked away, turning her back to him. She was done. There was nothing left to discuss.

He smiled at the back of her head. "Daisy…Skye…"

May pursed her lips and let out a breath through her nose. She turned and raised a finger to him, shook it then let it drop. "I said one… _one_ thing." She dropped into the nearest chair.

Phil moved to the chair next to her, sat and continued to plead his case. "I know it's a terrible idea, May, but it's the one and only chance we have to relive…or live what we didn't get a chance to have the first time."

"And that turned out so well the last time…" May rolled her eyes.

"Radcliffe set out to help people with his crazy parallel world. He wanted to take away people's regrets. He somehow neglected to realize that even our regrets make us who we are. It was Aida who turned that into a living hell. She's gone May, and so is that damned book. Fitz will be in total control. You know he won't let us down."

"I can't believe he's even agreed to this stupid plan of yours." Melinda let out a disgusted sigh. "The poor kid can barely live with himself after what happened in there." She stared into Coulson's eyes for a beat. "Try telling him it was just a computer program."

Coulson turned away from her, suddenly finding the palms of his hands very interesting.

"You haven't even discussed this with him, have you?" May shot at the man next to her. He continued staring at his hands. "You haven't. And what about Daisy? Did you talk to her? Damn it, Phil, she was beaten within an inch of her life in there or did you forge that?" Her heart beat faster knowing she was instrumental in the beating the girl had received. Hell, she'd taken part in it and relished every minute, relished punishing the girl she adored for no other reason than she just wanted to do it. May hated that part of herself and would never, _ever_ forgive it.

"It won't be the same." Coulson spoke to his hands. "That…that hell is gone. Aida destroyed it herself. Fitz will keep it in house." He glanced up at May hardly able to hold her gaze. "We'll be the only ones involved. No one can tap in because we won't be connected to anything outside the base. We'll develop safeguards."

May was already shaking her head. "No, Phil, it's a bad idea and a risk we can't take."

The argument paused at the soft knock on the door a second before Daisy let herself in to the room.

Coulson rose and smiled, "Come in, Daisy." May simply shook her head.

"We need to talk." The girl announced. "I need your help."

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May lay in her bunk staring at the ceiling. She tossed to the side and pushed the thoughts from her head. For years she fought the terrors of Bahrain, reliving the incident in every nightmare she survived. Thanks to the framework she could now also relive the nightmare of what could have happened had she not chosen to end the gifted child's existence. And yet tonight still another nightmare nipped at her consciousness. She almost laughed at the fact that her nightmares rarely woke her they simply kept her from sleeping in the first place.

After losing her baby all those years ago she had spent almost every night in tears, aching for the little form she would never hold. She refused to allow Phil to comfort her and only now realized how he must have mourned as well. But she had carried that little being all those months, sang to her baby every night and scolded when the kicking kept mama awake every time she attempted to rest. Feisty, that's what she called the little nameless being that lived inside of her.

May wiped a tear that escaped from her eye as she thought about the conversations she had with her unborn child both in English and in Mandarin, knowing she would teach her child both. She'd looked at apartments in several cities close to SHEILD bases, shopped for furniture and smiled at the tiny clothing in the baby sections of several department stores. Already deciding she would be a working mother she'd checked into several agencies that provided nanny services vowing to find the best for her child. She almost told her parents about her condition but decided it was best for all that they meet their grandchild in person before making any rash decisions. To this day they never knew how close they came to becoming grandparents.

She planned to tell Coulson before her time came. He deserved to be there for the birth. He deserved to hold his child. She would tell him she expected nothing from him but knew he would insist on being part of the child's world. Phil was that kind of guy. He'd want to be there for every second. Hell, if he could actually give birth he'd do it. She'd rub her stomach and tell the baby all about its daddy and although they couldn't have a life together, he would always be there.

Then Xiangtan happened. Something told her not to take that mission, to insist on starting her maternity leave despite Fury's guarantees that this would be the last. Promises that she could take the time she needed to be with her child were all she had. She was young and believed everything would always work out for the best. That horrible night shattered every belief she had. Everything she hoped for was gone in one breath, the breath her child never got to take. Two years later Bahrain sealed the deal.

Melinda shook herself from her thoughts. It _wasn't_ her child that died that night. It was another tiny nameless being whose own mother never held her. Had Jiaying even known the baby girl she held was not hers? Did something tell her that little being was not her blood? Had Cal kept that secret from his wife?

She squeezed her eyes tight and let the tears fall for that tiny form she and Phil laid to rest in a small cemetery in the Hunan Province. The grave was unmarked, never to be found and probably covered over by years of neglect in that missionary village that no longer existed. She never told Phil, but every year on that date she burned paper representations of toys, placed fruits and vegetables in a small shrine set up at the nearest Buddhist Temple and for twenty four hours thought about what could have been. It was the one day in the year she allowed herself to remember, to mourn for that tiny being she never got to love and yet never stopped loving.

Now, both Coulson and Daisy believed that going back into that mind warping program could give them the time that Cal Johnson had stolen from them all those years ago. The thought of going back there turned her stomach and she raced from her bed as it retched and forced its contents free. She brushed her teeth rapidly, swished mouthwash and wiped a cold washcloth over her face.

May sat on the edge of her bed and for the first time since that night felt the empty ache of her loss but now it only brought anger. Coulson assured her that Fitz could control their re-entry into the Framework, that the hellish world of Radcliffe and Aida was no more. Could she deny him…Daisy…herself the chance to get all of it back…all the time…all the life they'd missed.

She looked at the small clock on her nightstand and rose to dress. A few hours in the gym would burn off the anger.

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Jemma rested her head on Fitz's chest, happy for the time to spend together. Happy she was slowly regaining his trust and watching him gradually become the man she knew and loved. He twirled the end of her hair around his finger deep in thought.

"It isn't fair to ask you to do such a thing," Jemma sighed. "There must be another way."

"Would it be crueler to deny them this opportunity?" He asked himself more than her.

"Don't put yourself through this, Fitz. Let it go once and for all." Jemma was close to tears.

"I made their lives a living hell, Jemma. _I_ did that. This is a chance to give back a little bit, to take away the pain and give them something they should have had all along." He dropped his hand to her back and gently caressed her. "How can that be wrong?"

Jemma turned her head and looked into his eyes. "Are you trying to convince me or you?"

Fitz looked down at her and smiled a weak smile, something he rarely did these days. "It wouldn't be the same. I'd have something I hadn't before."

Jemma furrowed her brow.

"I'd have you, Jemma Simmons. I'd have you by my side. Together we can make this work."

She pulled herself up to meet his lips and kissed him deeply. He wrapped her in his arms as she nuzzled into his neck and both drifted into much needed sleep.

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"It will take me a few days to prepare everything we'll need and there will be several conditions you will have to agree to, with no exceptions." Fitz informed the three people who sat before him.

May held a cotton swab in her bent elbow as Coulson rolled down his sleeve. Jemma labeled then dropped a vial of freshly drawn blood into a small metal grid. She turned to the last patient and motioned for her to extend her arm. Daisy groaned at Jemma's smile and hesitantly put out her arm. She watched as the doctor tied an orange tube-like cord around her upper arm and pulled it tight. The girl gasped as Jemma pressed against the soft inside of her elbow.

"Oh, I didn't even do anything yet," Jemma laughed at her friend's plight then quickly inserted the needle.

Daisy drew a quick breath and panted through her teeth until Jemma released the semi-tourniquet and gently pushed her lower arm up. "Ouch!" Daisy exclaimed with a grimace.

"Baby," Jemma countered in a gentle tease. She placed the sample in the grid with the first two, then handed each of the trio a small plastic container.

"You've got to be kidding," Daisy spluttered as she held the yellow capped object in her hand. "I don't even have to…" Jemma handed her a bottle of water with a smile.

"You will," the doctor smiled as Fitz turned with a quick blush and May shook her head. "We'll be as thorough as possible," she informed them. "We've already collected hair, nail and blood samples. We just need a tissue sample and these," she tapped the cup in Daisy's hand.

"Tissue?" Daisy spun in a circle watching Jemma move across the lab. "Tissue as in skin?" She balked. Jemma nodded and smiled. "Just how do you expect to get that? And really, do you have to be _that_ thorough?"

"Stop being such a baby," Jemma laughed as she manipulated instruments out of Daisy's view. "It's not very painful. You probably won't feel a thing."

"Probably?" Daisy's eyebrows went high.

Coulson and May smiled at the irony of the girl's fear of medical procedures. She could bring down a mountain with the wave of her hand and yet she trembled at the thought of a small pin prick.

The doctor turned with a long skewer in her hand, the top covered with a plastic cap. Jemma stepped forward. Daisy stepped back. Jemma used her thumb to pop open the capped instrument and pushed a large cotton swab from within. "Open wide," she grinned at the wide eyed girl before her. Daisy exhaled in relief then rolled her eyes and complied. Jemma rubbed the swab on the inside of her cheek, pulled the plastic cap into place and snapped it closed. "All done," she smiled. "Now be a good girl and fill that cup for me."

"Yeah, well," Daisy smirked. "I can just do that on demand."

"Daisy" The name rolled off May's tongue in a quiet reprimand as the woman raised one eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Guess that depends on who's doing the demanding." Daisy turned down both sides of her mouth as she grabbed the small plastic cup and headed for the lavatory.

Jemma watched her go then turned to the superior agent. "Well, I guess that proves you can indeed scare the p…"

"Enough," May growled effectively silencing the girl.

Phil smiled at the camaraderie still flowing in his team then turned and laid a hand on Fitz's shoulder. "Are you sure about this, son?"

Fitz stopped flipping switches on the mechanism in front of him and held onto that one word – son. He focused on the immense difference between Phil Coulson and the man who was Alistair Fitz. There was really no comparison. Coulson was everything his father was not, everything a father should be and Sk…Daisy deserved every bit of him. Part of him felt a pang of jealousy toward the girl. She'd found the parents she searched for…longed for…even though it was by accident, they'd found each other. He imagined the monster that was the man he never hoped to see again, the man he hated for as long as she could remember. Yet that was the man his mind conjured in that hell hole he helped to create. He allowed him to manipulate his mind and turn him into the evil brute his Framework self had become. There were times he hated himself much more than he hated Alistair Fitz.

Then Phil Coulson called him son. He was not repulsed by his presence or unwilling to touch him. He laid his hand on his shoulder, encouraged him, gave him the choice, and most importantly trusted him even after all that had happened.

"I've got this, sir. I won't let you down." Fitz replied without turning around.

"And you understand what I need you to do?" Coulson asked.

Fitz nodded. "Don't worry sir, you will be totally aware the entire time you're there. You be able to pull the plug anytime." Coulson smiled and patted his shoulder affectionately.

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Three days later Fitz stood before Coulson, May and Daisy. He'd move the equipment he needed to the Cage, certain now that it could not be tapped into by any outside force. He disconnected all electronics from the grid, operating them only within the confines of the room. Three beds were set next to each other, with devices for monitoring vitals next to each. Three simplified headpieces rested on the pillows of each bed.

Everything was ready.

Jemma smiled as she flicked a switch and displayed the results of the intense DNA testing she had done over the past few days. Every test displayed the same conclusion. There was no doubt that the three people eyeing the new equipment in the room were related. Phillip Coulson and Melinda May were indeed the parents of the girl now known as Daisy Johnson.

"Six hours," Fitz spoke as Jemma began connecting May to the monitors next to the farthest bed. "Six hours a day, not one second longer." He was serious and speaking directly to Daisy. "I control your time clock from here. No matter what, I pull you out after six hours and you'll not go back for another full twenty four hours." She nodded realizing he meant her. "And you won't relive every second of every day, but you will get bits and pieces," before Daisy could protest, he continued. "The best of the bits and pieces, but remember your own thoughts will direct what happens and how you deal with it. That I cannot control." He adjusted a few items on his tablet and waited for Jemma to finish attaching all the monitoring equipment to Daisy, then to Coulson.

Each of the trio pulled their headpiece onto their heads then allowed Jemma to adjust the fit. "The time is twelve twenty two," Fitz announced as Jemma made a quick note. "I will pull you out at exactly six twenty two. Not one second past." He nodded at them over the edge of his tablet as he punched in the code needed to start his program.

Daisy laid back and relaxed into the pillow then reached across the short distance to take May's hand. She hoped May would take hers but prepared herself for being rejected. The girl smiled as her mother's warm fingers laced with hers. She closed her eyes and let herself drift into the blackness of the controlled Fitzwork, as she liked to call it. May watched as the girl's eyes closed then allowed her own to do the same.

Phil nodded toward Fitz, gave him a quick thumbs up then closed his eyes and joined his family in the world they'd build themselves.


	3. Chpt 3 - Congratulations, It's a Girl

**Chapter Three**

 **Congratulations, It's a Girl!**

May opened her eyes and immediately closed them blinded by the bright light above her. It took a few seconds to orient herself to her surroundings…to the beeping sound that persisted somewhere close. She realized she was on her back, her legs bent at the knee. She attempted to pick up her head when a wave of pain wracked her whole body. May had felt many kinds of pain. She'd been shot, stabbed, beaten, had broken bones and sprains of every degree but nothing compared to this. If she'd ever been dipped in molten lava it might bear a slight comparison.

The woman let go of the sheets she had crumpled in both hands as the pain subsided and reached for the band attached to her stomach. Touching her abdomen startled her. It was distended and felt more than twice its size. Another wave of pain had her hands yanked away from the odd belly shape as she once again grabbed handfuls of sheet, this time pulling both sides free of the mattress. A few seconds later the pain melted away and she realized there was yet another sound in the room. She almost laughed at the fact that it sounded very much like Darth Vader and wondered if she'd been transported to a galaxy far, far away.

"How ya doin', sweetie?" A perky woman with a bouncing ponytail strolled into the room and picked up her hand, pressed a finger to her wrist, smiled and squeezed her hand once before gently laying it back on the mattress. She moved to the foot of the bed. May lifted her head to see what this woman intended to do, then dropped back realizing she could not see over her extended belly. A moment later she jumped at the feeling of just what that young woman was touching.

"Sorry, honey, I know that's cold, but you're about seven centimeters…doing good." She rose and walked back to the head of the bed and offered May a cup of ice chips which she refused. "Pains are about three minutes apart, I see, but not to worry. Your hubby just called and should be here in about a half hour. You've got a way to go so I'm sure he'll be here in time." She patted May's shoulder gently and smiled again. "Buzzer's right here if you need anything. Okay?" She nodded once and stepped out the door.

"Hubby?" May repeated out loud then quickly raised her left hand. No ring, there was no ring. Married…no way…there was no way she was married. She laid back and took deep breaths waiting for the next wave of lava to cover her body. She was not disappointed as the crash of torment came right on schedule and she nearly tore the sheet from under herself.

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Coulson slammed on the breaks in unfamiliar the car seconds before he ran the red light. The horn on the car that sped through the intersection echoed as it continued on its way. He relaxed his elbows and let his arms drop as his hands slid to the base of the steering wheel. He let out a relieved breath.

"Where the hell am I?" He looked in all directions searching for a familiar landmark then scanned the dashboard for the GPS. The man laughed at himself. "Hasn't been invented yet, has it? Guess that means I'll have to do things the old fashioned way." The light turned and the impatient driver behind him blasted his horn. Coulson gave a quick wave and pulled through the intersection searching for a gas station. He felt the phone in his pocket vibrate and pulled it free, flipping it open with a grin.

"Coulson," the man spoke into the small out dated cell phone.

"Mr. Coulson this is Kerry West. Just giving you an update, sir. Your wife is getting close to delivery. When can we expect you?"

Phil looked at the street sign as he passed. Still nothing jogged his memory. He had no idea where he was or where he needed to be. "Not really sure about that," he laughed nervously. "May…wife…my wife and I are um…new in these parts. I guess I got turned around and now…well I'm not quite sure how to get to…there."

The person on the opposite end of the call seemed to understand or at least she pretended to be. "It's okay, Mr. Coulson. Where are you now?"

"I…Washington Avenue…I'm on Washington Avenue…seems to be a small shopping area on my left." He responded.

"Okay, you are very close." The young woman informed him. "Just stay on Washington, at the third light turn onto Lackawanna then follow it right around the curve. At the light it becomes Jefferson, just five blocks and you'll see the parking garage on the right. We are on the third floor. Just ask for Labor and Delivery. We'll see you in about ten minutes."

"Thank you," Phil flipped the phone closed and pushed it back into his pocket. "And thank you, Fitz." He smiled stopping at the second light and looking to the next one a few hundred feet ahead.

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The elevator opened to a sign directing people in several directions. Phil turned left and followed the signs to Maternity, pushing through the large double doors and hurrying to the nurses station.

"You are just in time, daddy." One of the young girls smiled as she stepped around the desk and took his arm. "Mommy's already in the delivery, just leapt right over those last three centimeters." She ushered him through another door and handed him the scrubs he needed to change into before joining May in the delivery room. He glanced at the clock…nine twenty seven…in a little more than a half hour he'd be a daddy…a real daddy. He felt the pin pricks of goose flesh run the course of his body and smiled as he pulled off his tie and began to undress.

The smiling nurse returned and led Phil down a short hallway. He observed several other men in the same garb and listened to the cacophony of women's voices as they rode the waves of child birth. Although the sounds were muffled by the doors and walls of the small delivery areas he had no problem locating May. Her growl was easily recognized above the others. He stepped into the room and joined the flurry of activity already in motion.

"Welcome to the birthday party, Mr. Coulson." A familiar voice smiled from behind the sheet that draped over Melinda's upraised legs. Another smiling nurse who sat behind May helping her to sit up a bit moved aside and directed Phil into the space. He obliged quickly.

"Damn you, Phil Coulson, DAMN YOU!" May bellowed as she arched her back and pulled forward in intense pain. "You did this you bastard!" She accused as he smiled and took her hand. "Nǐ hé nǐ āng zāng de fǔlàn de nánrén xūyào bǎ tā fàng zài wǒ lǐmiàn... Nǐmen, nǐ shì zàng de húndàn." She took his hand and squeezed until she heard the crack of breaking bones. Phil grimaced and let out a small squeak of pain. He wasn't sure what she was saying but was pretty sure it was not good.

"She doesn't mean it," the familiar voice laughed from behind the blue sheet. "Well, probably some of it, but she won't even remember."

"I remember everything!" May growled through her teeth as she dug her nails into Phil's arm and groaned through another contraction. "Don't you EVER, EVER…" her words slurred into garbled bellows of agony as she squeezed her eyes closed and arched her back pressing her head into Phil's chest.

"Okay, Melinda, one big push…" the doctor smiled…Melinda actually screamed…Phil looked at the clock…nine fifty. "It's crowning…almost there…big breath, mommy and one more push…daddy we need your help, too."

Phil hefted May's shoulders onto his chest and rested her head against his cheek. Her sweaty hair was plastered to her face. He pushed her forward and kissed her cheek at same time.

"You bastard…" she growled as she leaned forward, closed her eyes and pushed with all her might.

At exactly nine fifty two the shriek that cut the air in the small room rivaled Melinda May's but it came from the pinched face squirming form the doctor held up in his hands. "Okay, daddy you're up!" He smiled as one of the nurses handed Phil a pair of scissors. He stared at it for a moment then cut the cord.

"It's a beautiful little girl." The doctor crooned as he tumbled the little form on to Melinda's bare chest, immediately silencing the screaming infant. May smiled as the tiny form nuzzled into her and she rested her hand on the warm little body. Phil placed his hand on the tiny form as well, amazed at the miniature person he and May had created. He forgot the pain in his already swelling hand and bent to kiss the mother of his child.

"Okay, folks." A rather large nurse interrupted. "We're gonna get mommy and the little princess cleaned up, do a few tests and we'll all meet in about twenty minutes.

Phil froze… _twenty minutes_ …twenty minutes it only took _twenty minutes_.

"No," he stammered and shook his head as the woman reached for his child. "No," he grabbed her wrist as she reached for the newborn. "No, I'll stay with them."

The woman smiled and rubbed her hand gently on the back of his. "Don't you worry, I'll take good care of them, Papa. I promise. I think you need a little care for that hand while we do." She nodded toward the hand he favored. "I bet we can all be back at the same time."

"No," he repeated, almost in tears, tightening his grip on her wrist.

May held her baby close, kissing her tiny fingers, counting each tiny toe. She looked up at Coulson. "It's okay, Phil. It will only be a few minutes." Another nurse took the baby from May's chest and held her out to Phil. He took her in his arms surprised at how light…how tiny she was. She scrunched her face into a comical scowl and waved her tiny fists. For a second he thought she would cry, but he shushed her softly and she relaxed in his arms. He swore he heard a click and knew she would be attached to him for eternity. He bent and kissed her head twice before the nurse took her and walked away.

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Coulson paced back and forth across the room a young nurse had lead him to after he returned from radiology. His hand was not broken, but several bones were dislocated. The orthopedic specialist manipulated it until things snapped back into place. It hurt like hell, but did not take his mind off the safety of his new family. In the end the doctor wrapped his hand, gave him some pain meds and instructions on icing it for a few days. He glanced at the clock as he hurried from fifth floor back to the third…ten forty five…much longer than twenty minutes.

Now he paced and paced, stood for a moment gazing at the lights of a city he could not remember nor name…but he knew _that_ doctor and could not imagine why Fitz had programmed the man into this reality. He pinched the bridge of his nose and realized that some of the memories he and May shared of that night played on what was happening. He _was_ the doctor they both remembered. Their minds put _his_ face on this string of code. He turned to resume his pacing to be greeted by yet another nurse pushing May in a wheelchair into the room. Phil hurried to hold the door and help to get the exhausted woman into the waiting hospital bed.

"Hi, I'm Amy," the girl grinned. "I'll be your nurse tonight." She pulled a light blanket over May and pressed a button to raise the bed. Melinda moved slowly, adjusting herself for comfort as the girl pointed out the directions for raising and lowering the head of the bed. "We're going to bring you a little snack. I know it's been a while since you've had anything to eat or drink. Colleen tells me you asked for tea, but we've got to watch the caffeine. Don't want your little one up all night." She laughed a small laugh as she tucked a few extra pillows behind her patient. "Daddy?" She turned toward Phil who had been watching from the bedside. "What can we get for you? Coffee? A soft drink?"

Phil shook his head without taking his eyes off May. She was pale, exhausted and disheveled but never looked as beautiful as he saw her now. He shook his head, then quickly cleared his throat and answered. "No, no I'm fine…nothing."

A soft knock at the door silenced him. "And here she is…" the nurse from the delivery room sang as she carried the tiny bundle into the room. "She is a real beauty, mommy. Daddy, you'll be beatin' off the suitors with a baseball bat, I'll bet." Natalie, the pediatric nurse, crooned as she placed the tiny infant in May's arms. Melinda looked up at Phil with tears in her eyes, begging him to her without words. He moved to her side, half on the bed unable to take his eyes off the little person swaddled in her mother's arms. Gone was the puffy protection of birth, the almost cone shaped head and pinched closed ears…gone was the gooey stickiness that had covered the little body. The dark hair that covered the little head was silky smooth, her skin the softest pink Melinda had ever witnessed. She peeled back the blanket revealing tiny hands that clenched into little fists that opened slowly as she slipped her thumb under the little fingers that barely reached from her nail to her knuckle. The mini limbs jerked uncontrollably as the infant yawned and struggled to open her jet black eyes.

Phil held one little fist in his hand and wondered how anything could be so small and still be able to fill up every inch of him. He blinked the tears that blurred his vision and smiled at the tiny person who seemed to be moving in slow motion. He placed his hands under her and asked to take her with a glance at May. She smiled her permission and the man took the infant into his arms. The baby fit perfectly in the crook of his arm, her tiny body only as long as his forearm. She made little snorkely sounds and turned her open mouth toward his chest, bumping her tiny nose against his chest.

"Someone's hungry," Natalie smiled as she reached to take the infant from her father's arms. "I think that's mommy's job." She grinned at Phil when he almost refused to relinquish his treasure then nodded as the experienced nurse took the baby while Amy helped May to sit up. Natalie placed the baby back in her mother's arms and showed Melinda how the gown unsnapped at the shoulder in order to nurse her infant. Melinda smiled at the baby rooting instinctively.

"Don't be surprised if she doesn't…" Natalie stopped mid-sentence as the infant latched on and began suckling.

May stroked the side of her baby's head and the little girl's cheek rose for a second, her body trembled. "Ticklish," May laughed as she looked up at Phil who could do no more than stare.

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Phil sat in a large recliner with his precious bundle tucked into his arms. He'd dozed off and on throughout the night, waking every two hours when a nurse carried the wailing infant into the room to be fed. Every nurse laughed at the powerful cry the tiny baby elicited in her demand. He looked down at the sleeping infant and smiled as he bent to kiss her head. "Guess you've had that appetite since the beginning, huh little one."

The rising sun caught his eye turning the eastern sky into a blast of pinks and yellows. Phil stood and carried his daughter to the large window, watching as the dawn pushed back the night. He turned the baby sideways showing her the view. "You see that?" He whispered in parentese. "That's the sky, angel eyes …sky, that's what you are baby, the whole sky. You are everything your mommy needed and everything I needed…just like that big blue sky, you would have been the air we breathed." He blinked back tears overwhelmed with the joy of his newborn daughter that he now held side by side with the agony of losing her. "How did we do it without you?" The hate he had for Cal Johnson intensified as did the desire to beat the man into oblivion.

How could he have lost his own child then, as a doctor, force that on another couple? How could he have taken this tiny person and given her to that…that monster that was Jiaying? Did that crazed women even realize the baby was not hers? Don't mothers instinctively recognize their own children? The thoughts ran through his head faster than he could control them.

"Sky?" Melinda's groggy voice caused him to smile as he turned toward the sound. She pushed herself up and blinked at the light behind her little family. "What did you say?" She squinted at him.

Phil looked at the sleeping infant and then over his shoulder at the morning sky. "I'm showing our daughter the morning sky." He smiled as he shook her tiny fist between his fingers.

Melinda looked past him at the glorious dawn, the sprays of color that announced the new day and breathed deeply. "She'll always out shine the dawn." She whispered as he stepped next to her, the baby beginning to stir. He placed the tiny girl gently in her mother's arms.

The infant's eyes opened wide as she yawned, tiny fists bouncing as her feet twitched inside the loosely wrapped blanket. Melinda smiled down at her daughter. "Good morning, Skye. Zǎo ān wǒ tiánměi de xiǎohái. My sweet baby girl, daddy has found the perfect name. You will always be our Skye."

Skye answered with a loud wail letting mommy know she was more interested in breakfast.

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Fitz carefully monitored his equipment, moving from patient to patient checking vital signs and EEG's for any sign of distress. May's monitors had gone wild for several minutes causing the doctor to consider pulling her out before the allotted time. Phil's monitors mirrored the insanity and then Daisy's burst into frenzy. Fitz moved quickly from one to the other, frantically trying to imagine what they could be experiencing. Before he could shut the program down all three monitors calmed and resumed normal rhythms.

He dropped into a chair and let out a relieved breath, then wiped the sweat from his brow. Jemma stood behind and patted his shoulder. She smiled her approval then reached down and squeezed his hand.

"They're fine Fitz. Every person deals with a bit of stress. It's normal." She sighed. "Can you imagine dealing with a toddler Daisy or worse than that, a teenage Daisy?" She laughed in her soft quiet way. Fitz forced a smile, but knew it made sense. Daisy could be the source of major stress at any age. She squeezed his hand again and carefully considered her next statement.

"I've arranged for two teams to travel to the Hunan Province. I realize it has been twenty-five years, but if there is the slightest chance we can help clear up even some of what really happened it is our duty to find out." Jemma explained, hoping Fitz would agree.

He stared at the blips on the monitors next to his patients, watching each for any sign of new stress. He blinked a few times. "Absolutely," he answered without looking at his partner.

"Fitz, are you even listening?" Jemma watched as he continued to concentrate on his patients and his machines.

"There can't be much left…it's been a long time, Jemma. Coulson said it was just him, Cal and an older woman…there's no one left." He hiccoughed a indiscernible laugh as he stood in front of the center patient, "except Daisy, and she has no recollection at all." He turned to the woman next to him. "No one remembers their birth, Jemma."

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Coulson sprang awake, jumping to his feet in the dark. The claxon call sounded without end. He reached for a weapon that wasn't there and turned to pull the door open on his bunk. The man found himself standing in a large room. He took a step and stubbed his toe against whatever piece of furniture stood in his path. Cursing under his breath he fumbled to find a light switch, a lamp, a damn flashlight…anything to show him where the hell he was and what was so urgent. He limped carefully across the carpeted floor and patted his hand along the wall until it hit the familiar shape that would throw light on this insanity. He flicked it just as the siren cut off.

"Shhhh, shhhh…" Melinda's soft voice met his ears. "Phil," she startled him as she flicked the light off throwing the room back into darkness. "What's the matter with you? You know she won't go back to sleep if it's so bright." She walked through the darkness with the agility of a cat and dropped into what he hoped by the shape of the shadow was a large chair. "It's okay wǒ de ài. I know you're hungry, bao bao."

He heard the sound of her kissing someone and struggled to orient himself. The dull pain in the top of his head made it difficult. He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger and listened to the soft sound of a baby suckling. 'Daisy…' the thought was as soft as the sound… 'no…not…no…Skye….' "Skye," he smiled out loud.

"Shhh," May warned as the baby in her arms jumped but continued nursing.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as his eyes adjusted to the darkness and he could see Melinda cradling their daughter. He took in the large bed, the curtain flitting softly in the breeze, the nightstand he christened with his left big toe. Realizing he stood in nothing more than his boxers he fought off the heat of embarrassment and moved closer to May.

Obviously time had passed. The once tiny newborn now stretched across her mother's chest, resting her little outstretched hand atop the breast where she was firmly attached, eyes closed and nursing hungrily. Her fine dark hair stuck straight up almost defying gravity and her little foot tapped rhythmically to some unheard baby tune. He smiled at the little red, white and blue stars that speckled her sleeper.

"Have you decided?" Melinda inquired without looking up from the baby.

"Hmm?" He had no idea what she meant and couldn't stop staring at the beautiful sight before him. He understood completely why Mack never wanted to leave this behind. He could easily fall into this reality and never return to the stress of his life.

"We have to decide, Phil. It's only two weeks." Melinda spoke softly, although she could hear the frustration in her voice.

"Two weeks?" He smiled as he ran his hand over the baby's soft feathery hair and laughed a quiet laugh as she wriggled under his touch.

"Wake up, Phil." She nudged him with her bare foot against his. "You're up as soon as she's finished and I think there might be a little surprise waiting for you."

He could see her smiling in the dim light that shone through the window. The baby whimpered as Melinda moved her from one breast to the other. She shook her head. "I don't know where she puts it all. I won't be happy if I have to supplement with formula."

"No…" Phil was still mesmerized by the moment.

"We have until Thanksgiving, Phil. We have to let Fury know when we are going back to work."

"Work…"

"Phillip!" Melinda whispered her shout. "What the hell is wrong with you? Knock it off." She switched the baby to her shoulder and patted her a few times before the little girl let out a soft 'urp'. Pulling her top back over herself she stood and handed the drowsy infant to Phil. "Remember, she won't go back to sleep if it's bright, so just use the night light."

He stood staring into the dark eyes that stared back. Melinda had said Thanksgiving…November...that meant their daughter was…he counted the months…she was almost five months old. They'd jumped five months. He looked into those eyes and smiled at the young woman he could already see.

"Phil," Melinda had moved behind him and was now pushing him gently toward the door. "She needs to be changed. Do it quickly and I might still be awake when you get back."

He stopped for a moment and almost did a double take. Was Melinda May propositioning him? What the hell had happened in the last five months? Now that he thought about it, why were they sharing a home…a bed? Oh, Fitz maybe we need that time back, buddy. May gave him a small shove.

Once in the hall there was a new problem. He had no idea where he was going or where to find anything he might need to accomplish this feat. He looked at the four doors that definitely lead to other rooms in this…house…apartment. He wasn't sure. One had to be a bathroom…every living space had a bathroom. He could just make out the top of the stairs at the end of the hallway, so there were definitely two floors. That meant the other two doors had to be bedrooms. He padded softly across the carpet. "Don't suppose you could give your dad a hand here, huh angel eyes?" The baby cooed back at him, flailing her arms and kicking her feet. The second door was open a crack and he could see a soft blue light inside. "Ahhh, the famous night light, I imagine." He spoke to the infant as he pushed the door open with one foot and stepped inside.

His fears were squashed by May's organizational skills. Everything he needed was stacked neatly on in wall shelves that surrounded the changing table. He smiled as he lay the baby down. "Thank goodness for mama's OCD-ness." He told her as he unsnapped the front of her sleeper.

"I have to tell you, sweet pea, you don't smell very good." He scrunched up his face. She alternately shoved a hand into her mouth and pushed up with one foot in an attempt to roll to her tummy. Phil placed his hand on her chest. "Might be a bit easier for both of us if you stay on your back." He nodded at her as she stuck out her tongue, moving it from side to side and bounced both arms up and down rapidly. She kicked her feet out in the same rhythm and Phil foresaw a bit of a fight to get this mission accomplished which was not unusual when it came to Daisy. "Always the feisty one," He tapped the end of her nose and laughed when she fell still and blinked at him.

Phil pulled the baby's feet from her sleeper and cringed at the stain on the legs of her onesie. "Guess it's a full change then isn't it?" He sat her up and removed the sleeper, then dropped it into a bin next to the table as he gently laid her back. Getting off the onesie was not as easy. He tried to keep the soil from spreading to her chest and face, but with a little effort it took joined the laundry.

"Okay," he frowned as he pulled a dozen wipies from the box at the foot of the table. Skye squirmed and kicked her feet as she gurgled at her father. "I know you did this on purpose." He smiled at her, then frowned with a sudden thought. "Daisy, I really hope you aren't aware of this." Skye bounced her bottom on the table and smiled up at him, making a soft gurgling sound. "Daisy?" He wondered for a moment then shook his head as he pulled the tapes loose on the little diaper, immediately grimacing and turning his head. "Ug, you have given me a lot of messes little girl, but this certainly tops them all." He picked up the first of many wipes and began the process of cleaning the tiny bottom.

By the time Phil cleaned the baby, using at least another dozen wipies, got the wriggling infant into a clean onesie and sleeper covered with tiny pink and yellow daisies both father and daughter were exhausted. He laid the baby in the crib and inched his way out of the room, surprised when she did not fuss. He looked at the small LED clock on the shelf above the changing table…three twenty two a.m.

Phil stepped across the threshold of the room he shared with May…

"Welcome back, sir." Jemma's perky voice startled him as he opened his eyes and immediately recognized the Cage.


	4. Chapter 4 - This is Your Life

**Chapter 4**

 **This is Your Life!**

Daisy stood stock still taking in the environment with only the movement of her eyes which stopped on a sight she had never hoped to see. The vision set her back into a tray of metal instruments that clattered as the force of her body set the small table rocking. She turned quickly catching the items before they went to the floor.

The man in blue scrubs squatting in front of what she truly believed to be the part of a woman that she never, _EVER_ wanted to experience looked over his shoulder at her and smiled. "Another first," he laughed good naturedly as he turned back to whatever the hell he was doing.

The shock of whatever she was witnessing had her shaken as she placed the tools she now held in her hands back on the tray causing more clanging and clinking. A rather large black woman, dressed in the same garb smiled widely as she reached for Daisy's arm and directed her away from the area.

"First time, honey?" She too seemed to find the situation amusing.

"Come stand next to me," the squatting man motioned with his hand without turning toward her.

In her astonishment she barely heard the conversations drifting around the very cold room, but did someone just say….his man thing? Was that Mandarin? Put it where? She shook her head and wondered if it were possible to wash the inside of your ears.

The large woman urged her forward to stand next to the man who she now realized was not squatting but seated on a short rolling stool. She nearly fell back again as she watched what appeared to be a small person emerging from…well, from where tiny babies emerge from… The man who she now recognized as a doctor held the oddly shaped head in his hands and was carefully turning the baby's shoulders in order to free it from its mother.

"Okay, Melinda, one big push…" the doctor smiled…someone screamed…Daisy jumped at the sound. "It's crowning…almost there…big breath, mommy and one more push…daddy we need your help, too."

A second later a tiny person slid into the man's large hands. The large woman who was definitely a nurse reached in and suctioned the little thing's mouth and nose so quickly Daisy was sure the baby was choking, but only for a second before the infant let loose the loudest screech she had ever heard. She was sure she was imagining it but it was so loud it made her throat ache.

The doctor balanced the newborn on one hand and announced it was a girl as the man who most likely was the father moved forward and cut the thick purple cord attached to the child's stomach. Daisy swallowed hard and placed her hand over her abdomen. 'That's gotta hurt,' she imagined as the doctor pancake flipped the baby onto the woman's naked chest. She felt her knees go week, but the large nurse was there and held her arm.

"Don't worry, honey," she grinned as she pulled Daisy to the side. "You get used to it. My first time landed me flat on my back. They just walked around me until the baby made its debut." She laughed a hooty laugh and pulled the girl toward the woman's head.

Daisy looked down and for a moment forgot to breath. It was May…younger…hair plastered to her face…almost out of breath…smiling ear to ear…a real smile…but it was May. Her gaze traveled up the arm of the man next to May's head. Again her breath caught…Coulson? Was that Coulson?

'What the hell?' She grimaced as the thought ran through her head. 'Who…how…' She wasn't listening but knew they were speaking. Coulson was putting up a fuss of some kind and that nurse was politely arguing back…something about taking the baby. She reached down and smiled at May, carefully lifting the slippery infant that seemed to be shivering. Daisy felt the cold as well and wondered why they would keep the place at such a frigid temperature.

Daisy stared at the sight before her, mouth open in disbelief. She had witnessed her own birth. This was impossible…but was it…hell, she'd seen her best friend turn to stone and then to dust…the woman she thought of as a sister slipped through a rock to another planet…she stumbled into a room full of Daisy-bots and watched a man's head burst into flame and then back again…why would this be a surprise. But still, this baby was her and she was this baby. She and this tiny little person shared the same soul.

The need to touch, to hold this little part of herself was overwhelming. Without asking she took the baby from May's chest and into her arms. An odd sensation washed over her. 'My god, Fitz, my own birth? How did you manage this? I thought two exact entities couldn't exist in one reality. Or was than some science fiction thing I saw in a movie? Must be because I am actually holding my own infant-self.' She couldn't explain the feeling but it was not unpleasant, almost like the feeling you get when you finally accomplish something you've been trying to do for like forever. She realized the fear in Coulson's voice and when the nurse said it would only be twenty minutes, she knew what he thought. Carefully she put the little person in his arms and stepped back into a new feeling.

Daisy watched the little lip form a tiny pout and imitated it exactly. She was sure the baby would burst into tears again. She felt the urge to cry, to scream out loud in protest but Coulson's soft voice hummed and he swayed slowly. Suddenly she felt a barrage of feelings, none of which had words to make sense but she felt a calmness, safety and warmth and something else…a connection of sorts, a kind of connection she was unfamiliar with and yet it was something she intended to keep for eternity. She couldn't describe it but she liked it. When he placed the soft kiss on the baby's head a rush of warmth spread through her as if she'd been dropped in a hot bath.

Natalie, the large nurse was Natalie. She took the baby and carried her to a small mattress on the opposite side of the small room. Tilting her head she motioned for Daisy to follow. The girl obliged realizing for the first time that she too wore the same blue scrubs as every other person in the room, except for May who seemed to be sans clothing at the moment.

The doctor stood from his small stool and slipped off the gloves he wore, tossing them into a flip top waste can. He stepped to the incubator that now held the flailing infant. Natalie was busy with crimping a small bracelet on the baby's foot and pressing her little foot into a purple ink pad then onto a yellowish form that already head a purple thumb print. She smiled at the doctor.

"Six pounds three ounces, seventeen inches…she's a teeny one, but I get an AGPAR of 9, doctor." The nurse informed the man as she injected the infant's thigh with a quick jab, causing Daisy to grimace and jerk a hand to the same spot on her leg. A second quick jab brought tears to her eyes as the baby screamed in protest. She fought the urge to pick her up and take her away from all this. Natalie was explaining the procedures as she continued to do what was protocol for every newborn as a second nurse helped May to clean up as well.

"She is certainly a beauty." Daisy turned to the familiar voice coming almost nose to nose with Cal Johnson who leaned over the mattress to peer at the newborn. She stepped back quickly, again almost tripping in the process. "You are a jumpy one, aren't you?" He smiled at Daisy as he grabbed her arm to keep her from landing on her backside. "First day in obstetrics?" He asked with a slight laugh.

"I…y-yeah…first day…m-my very first day…" Daisy stammered as she pulled her arm free. Cal smiled a wide Cal-ish smile and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You're a lucky girl. Natalie here is the best there is, couldn't have a better teacher." He patted her shoulder.

At that Natalie pushed the smallest diaper Daisy had ever seen into her hand. "Okay, honey, get her dressed and swaddled then get her down to the nursery while the doc and I get mom all prettied up for daddy." She laughed again as she spoke to Cal. "I think she may have broken his hand."

"You're kidding," Daisy said out loud before realizing it. She couldn't wait to tease her new parents about that. Fitz and Simmons would find it just as amusing. Amusing was the word and she was glad none of them were witnessing her attempt to diaper a very squirmy newborn. She spoke quietly to the baby almost giggling at the thought that she was talking to herself and wondering why she couldn't just think this little rascal calm. With some doing she fastened the little nappy on the child and stood back to congratulate herself. Natalie stepped next to her and peered at the baby.

"Okay, congratulations but she'll be celebrating her first birthday at this rate." The large woman bumped Daisy aside and quickly pulled a long sleeve onesie over the baby flipping and flopping her like a rag doll. It made Daisy dizzy to watch. Natalie pulled a little pink cap over the still wet hair on the baby's head causing her to pull a comical grimace. Daisy realized that once again she was making the same face. The woman wrapped the tiny form in a pink and blue receiving blanket and placed her in a separate tiny clear bed. "Get her to the nursery." She nodded toward the door.

"Come on, Daisy, it's time to wake up…" Coulson gently nudged the girl who rested on a gurney in the Cage. "Why isn't she waking?" He turned to the young scientist who stood next to him.

"I assure you, sir. She's just sleeping. All of her vitals are normal." Jemma rested a hand on his arm and squeezed it gently.

May stood on the opposite side of the table with Daisy's hand in her own. She brushed the hair from the girl's face with the other and almost laughed at the way she seemed to nuzzle into the touch.

"Can't you do something?" Coulson sounded more worried than the others.

May let out a breath through her nose, "she'll wake up when she wakes up, stop being such a mother hen."

"That would be father hen, I think. Rooster…father rooster…cock a doodle doo and all." Coulson laughed nervously. His eyebrows went high and he drew a deep breath.

May slapped his midsection causing him to quickly exhale. "Don't even think about it." She sneered as Jemma turned away to hide her silent giggle. He shrugged his shoulders and turned up one side of his mouth. May rolled her eyes.

Fitz flicked through several screens on his tablet and checked a read out from one of the monitors. He shook his head and chewed the tip of his pen. "Maybe she's just extremely tired. I can't say what went on in there, only you know that." He looked to the couple standing on either side of the gurney. May looked down while Coulson's cheeks flushed with color.

"She wasn't there…" Coulson started to say as his eyes met May's. "Well, not in the sense of being there."

Fitz and Simmons exchanged confused glances. "Of course she was there," Simmons smiled.

Coulson shook his head and stared down at the sleeping girl. "Not the Daisy we know," he almost mumbled.

"Look it's right here," Fitz tapped the screen on the tablet and turned it so the couple could see. It was a series of numbers, bell graphs and bars. It made no sense to either of them. "Apparently, she experienced some stress around the same time as May and just a few seconds before you did." He accused Coulson. "Whatever happened in there you all went through it together."

May took a deep breath and considered telling the younger couple what had transpired on the first trip into their alternative universe. She was interrupted by a soft whine from the girl on the narrow bed. Daisy scrunched up her face and stretched her limbs before rubbing her eyes and coming awake.

"Hey…" her voice was scratchy, deeper than usual. "What's up?" She yawned as she squinted at the four people staring at her.

"You are…finally," Coulson smiled as he helped her sit up and toss her legs over the side of the gurney.

Daisy swung her feet and wrapped her fingers around the edge of the thin mattress. She looked at the clock, yawned again and glanced at Fitz. "I thought you said six something. What happened?" She slid forward landing on the floor and almost sinking there completely. "Whoa!" The girl exclaimed as she reached back to grab the gurney. Coulson and May each grabbed an arm and helped her to right herself. "First day with new legs," she laughed, wondering why her legs felt like overcooked noodles.

Simmons was at her side in a flash, snatching her wrist and pressing a stethoscope against her chest. Daisy flapped her hands in an effort to shoo her away. "I'm fine, Simmons, just a little stiff after sleeping on this two by four." She laughed and slapped her hands down on the mattress her parents had forced her back on to a second before. Jemma nodded at Coulson who did not look convinced.

"Come on," Daisy smiled as she slid back to her feet. "I'm f-fine…" she slid down as she tried to take a step. "What the hell?" Now she was angry at herself, wobbling her butt back onto the mattress. She kicked her legs again, wiggled her toes inside her sneakers, shook her feet back and forth and sat back bringing her legs up to her chest then thrust them back down. She looked at the others and shrugged her shoulders. "They still work." She grinned. "Must have slept wrong." She shrugged again and slid to the floor taking a tentative step with May and Coulson on either side. After three or four easy strides she let out the breath she was holding and walked across the floor. "Now that was just weird." She shook her head and watched as Fitz made rapid notes as Simmons watched her as if she just took her first steps.

Everyone looked as a grumbling growl interrupted their thoughts. Daisy looked down and placed a hand on her stomach. She looked up sheepishly. "What can I say? I'm starving, have been since I opened my eyes. In fact, I think I woke up because I'm famished. I could probably eat a whole pizza all by myself." She grinned as her stomach gurgled its need for food again.

"Probably two," May mumbled under her breath as she cross her arms over her breasts. Coulson lowered his head and laughed into his collar. The woman looked up at the clock…eight twenty two…exactly two hours…right on schedule.

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Daisy sat back, patted her stomach and failed to stop a loud burp. "Excuse me," she grimaced as she covered her mouth. May shook her head and smiled. She wondered just how much Daisy remembered of their first jaunt into the Fitz-work, as they all now all referred to it.

In lieu of pizza, which would have taken at least an hour to order and then pick up, Phil whipped up a batch of pancakes. Daisy wolfed down six for a first helping and then four more after. Her request for milk was a shock to everyone since she usually baulked at the white liquid. May suggested a banana which the girl reached for as if it were her last meal. Fitz and Simmons continued making notes and asking questions, stymied by the girl's actions and still in the dark about what had happened in the computer world they'd created.

Everyone helped to clean the mess and put away the dishes before retiring to the beat up couch and chairs in the common room. It took months to repair the base after the blast that saved the girls and ended the LMD's occupation, but it was finally starting to look livable again.

Daisy let out an exaggerated yawn. "I think I'm going to turn in, guys. I'm exhausted."

"You just woke up," Jemma frowned. "Daisy if this continues we may have to consider a shot of B12."

"Horses, horses Simmons, remember. Think horses, not zebras!" Daisy laughed as she backed away from the doctor. "I'm just tired. You've already told me I'm in great shape. I'm just tired after packing on all the pancakes."

"Okay, enough," May raised a hand. "Come on, Daisy. I'll walk you to your bunk. I'm exhausted myself. Let's go." She took the girl's elbow and drove her toward the door raising a hand in a 'good night' gesture.

Two hours later Daisy stumbled into the common room kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator. She pulled out the milk and poured a large glass. She bumped the door closed with her hip and brought the glass to her lips as she turned toward the table. The outline of May's form in the light that filtered in from the hall caused her to jump almost dropping the glass.

"Jeez, May, make a noise why don't you?" She grumped as she grabbed the glass with both hands.

May stepped into the dim light of the light over the stove. "What are you doing?" She hissed.

"I needed a drink." Daisy raised her brows and held out the cup to the older woman. She looked at it then continued explaining. "I guess I just have this craving for milk all of a sudden." May folded her arms over her chest and nodded. "I don't know what's wrong with me. It's like I can't get enough of the stuff. Every time I open my eyes it's the first thing I think about." Daisy shook her head and took a long draw on the liquid then wiped her lip with the back of her hand.

May shook her head and walked to the couch dropping down and patting the seat with the invitation for her daughter to join her. Daisy was hesitant, but slowly moved to sit next to the woman. She took a second gulp of her drink and placed the glass on the short table in front of the sofa. They sat in silence for a few moments before Daisy spoke.

"I'm really sorry." The girl whispered, refusing to look at the woman next to her.

"You didn't wake me." May replied watching the girl fidget, then reach for her glass and drink again.

"I meant…in there…for…well…" Daisy fumbled for the right words. Not many…no make that no one ever sees the agony their mother is put through bringing them into the world.

"It's the circle of life, Daisy." May smiled and patted the back of the girl's hand. Daisy watched then smiled when May let her hand rest there. "You're worth it." She leaned closer and whispered.

Daisy leaned back and smiled. "You and Coulson, huh? He was there…had tears in his eyes."

May squeezed the girl's hand. "I told you he has a lot of heart, always did. I never let him grieve when…" she stopped and took a deep shaky breath… "the last time," she finished. "It must have crushed him, to lose you." She squeezed Daisy's hand again.

"You broke his hand…" The girl tried to change the subject.

May laughed and shook her head. "No, just dislocated a few bones." Again the silence fell around them and Daisy took a few sips of her milk.

"Cal was there." She said softly.

May nodded. "He's the doctor we both remembered, Daisy, nothing more."

"I hate him." Daisy whispered sounding so much younger than her years.

May pulled her closer under the girl rested her head on the woman's shoulder. She hated the man even more. The man had put so many things into motion, so much pain that lasted for so long. He'd torn out her heart and Phil's. He'd sentenced their daughter to a life of loneliness and feeling unwanted. He'd led her to that temple, set her on this path of inhumanity. May loved her daughter…loved this girl even before she knew of that truth…but hated to see the pain this caused her. He'd exposed Daisy to Jiaying and almost cost her her life. How could she not hate this man?

Daisy sat up and drank the last of the milk in the tall glass then moved back to the comfort of her mother's shoulder. May rubbed her hand up and down the girl's arm and hummed a long forgotten lullaby. Daisy snuggled into her mother, her real mother…the woman who was everything she ever hoped her mother would be. She closed her eyes and drifted into blissful sleep.

May smiled at the soft steady breathing and glanced at the large clock on the wall. She leaned back and closed her eyes. They could sleep just like this for the next two hours.


	5. Chapter 5 - First Time for Everything

**Chapter 5**

 **First Time for Everything**

Coulson stopped. The pain in the top of his head was likened to a railroad spike being driven into his skull. He grit his teeth and grabbed the cool edge of the counter in front of him. Its cold smooth surface seemed to ground him, to ease his pain. Leaning back and then forward, he felt the memory of that gawd-awful merry go round thing in the playground of his youth. His stomach flipped and he panted quickly to quell the feeling of nausea. The smell of menthol was both confusing and sickening. He dropped his hand and felt the small metal object there tap the marble surface. The sound that he swore was a hiss of machinery was, in reality, water running into a basin…no, a sink. The image before him became clear and no he had not sprouted a white beard, but his chin was covered with the foam of shaving cream. He looked to the razor in his right hand and blinked a few times as the pain in both his head and stomach faded.

"Come on, Phil, you want to be late our first day back?" May slipped in front of him to apply finishing touches on make-up and hair. "You should be done. I'll be downstairs. Get a move on." She spoke quickly, almost out of breath as she exited the room.

Phil shook off the confusion of entering this strange world without leaving his conscious behind and wondered if it was something he should discuss with Fitz. He shrugged his shoulders. It was only six hours. He could handle it. Raising the razor he pulled it down one side of his face, beginning his morning ritual.

xx

Stepping quickly down the stairs while straightening his tie, Coulson slowed as he reached the bottom. May was speaking softly…speaking to someone who was speaking back. The voice was low and gentle, definitely male. It was a voice he hadn't heard in more years than he cared to count although he was more than sure the man was still alive. The man who had no love loss for him though he never could understand why until recently. Nope, no man would ever be good enough for his daughter and he was positive William May felt exactly the same about him. But, why would he be here. Phil could not help the smile that spread across his face at the sound of a third voice, although the her words made no sense…if you could call all that babbling, words.

"You do not have to worry, daughter," William's soft voice sighed. "I was able to care for you alone. I am sure this is not much different."

"Ba, ba, ba, ba, um, um…" Skye babbled between shrieks and squawks while banging a sippy-cup with both hands against her highchair tray.

"Nǐ èle ma, wǒ měilì de sūnnǚ?" The older man smiled at the baby. Skye answered blowing raspberries and dropping her cup to the floor. She looked over the edge of the tray and watched it spin then bounced her body back and forth clapping her tiny hands together.

"Her cereal is here," Melinda informed her father in a rushed voice. "And no whole milk, Bàba. I've pumped enough to last the day. I've already nursed her this morning and when I get home I will nurse her again. Her juice needs to be watered down or you will have more messy diapers than you care to change."

William laughed as he handed his granddaughter a teething toy which she took with both hands and shoved into her mouth, gumming it hungrily. "I see you are much like your mother, sūnnǚ." Melinda's cheeks pinked as she rolled her eyes.

Coulson stepped into the kitchen and nodded at May as he moved toward the coffee pot. "Good Morning, Phillip," William greeted him without turning around. "Have you given any thought to making my daughter an honest woman?"

Coulson jumped as the hot liquid he was pouring spilled on to his hand and he reacted to the statement.

"Bàba, nǐ xiǎng zǎodiǎn kāishǐ zhège dì yī jiàn shì ma?" Melinda scolded her father. "Wǒmen qǐng nǐ lái zhèlǐ bāngzhù wǒmen zhàogù Skye. Nǐ bùyào ràng shìqíng biàn dé gèng kùnnán. Fēilìpǔ yāoqiú wǒ měitiān jià gěi tā."

She and Phil had argued for weeks but finally came to a temporary cease-fire and invited May's father to move in and help with Skye as they both returned to their work at SHIELD. Melinda's mother sided with Phil saying that William was too old and too permissive to be responsible for such a strong willed child.

"She's ten months old, mother…" Melinda had argued. "I don't think she has plans for a hostile take over of the kitchen." Lian snarled at her daughter and walked away in a huff. Phil watched her leave and knew he had lost his ally and probably the argument. Not that Coulson had anything against William May…it was quite the opposite. Mr. May was not entirely fond of his granddaughter's father and had no problem letting him know it. It was probably why he greeted Phil every morning with the same question – regarding his putting a ring on Melinda's finger and giving her baby a legitimate father.

Melinda told her father every morning, as well, that Phil had asked her to marry over and over, but she had just as many times said no. She was the hold-out…the half that refused to commit to a lifelong promise that had more of a chance of failure than not. She'd lived through her parents' divorce and did not intend for Skye to have to live that heartache. They'd chosen a lifestyle that could tear them apart at the drop of a…of a bullet or a knife or a well placed punch. She never thought of her baby as a mistake but she was an unplanned event that had taken both of them by surprise.

Living together was a mutual agreement. The fact that they fit together like butter on bread was just a bonus. They bought the house to give Skye a place to grow up; a foundation…roots…a base. It had four bedrooms and at the beginning they each chose one and designed the third as their daughter's nursery…the fourth as a guest room. That lasted about three months while they took turns walking the floor with their baby girl who seemed to think staying up all night was a grand idea. Most of the time they collapsed out of sheer exhaustion, barely able to speak in full sentences let alone develop any kind of _close_ relationship. They took turns sleeping during the day in order to be on their toes…or feet as it was…all night.

And then it happened…in the fall…the last day of October. They'd dressed their baby in her jack-o-lantern sleeper and passed out bags of goodies to the neighborhood children for three hours. Melinda spent an hour nursing the infant while Phil cleaned up and managed to put away the last of the candy filled bags. Skye was sound asleep when he took her from her mother and placed her in the crib. He joined Melinda in front of the television to stare at the late night news and wait for Skye's demanding screams…that did not come. They waited until midnight, tiptoed into her room and found her sound asleep on her tummy. She'd rolled over…all on her own…from her back to her stomach. It was a moment of immense pride. Coulson felt as if he had fathered a genius, rolling over at just under four months of age. Phil gave a quick thumb's up and followed Melinda into the hallway. They were dizzy with pride and in lieu of popping the cork on a bottle of champagne they skipped to the end result, fell into Melinda's bed and each other's arms in full control of their enthusiasm.

Perhaps it was just because they were so relieved their little one had finally discovered the joy of sleeping through the night or maybe that they had discovered the joy of having time for each other ( _through the night)_ , but they woke up in the same bed. At the crack of dawn they blinked into each other's eyes then dashed to the baby's room in such panic they neglected to grab any item of clothing only to find Skye happily kicking at the mobile that hung over her crib and gumming all four fingers of her right hand. Sure enough she had also mastered the feat of rolling from her stomach to her back. Surely, she _was_ a genius!

The following evening Phil met Melinda at the side of the crib when he rose to check on the soundly sleeping infant. She put a finger to her lips indicating he should be quiet then crooked the other finger at him beckoning him to follow her…all the way back to her room. After four nights of meeting in the same fashion and slipping perfectly into each other…they no longer had separate rooms. Skye slept through the night and Phil officially moved into what became the master bedroom.

They didn't discuss it or worry if one or the other needed more time or space…it just felt right and they kept it that way.

Melinda turned and smiled at Phil who had managed to add milk and sugar to his coffee and bring it to his lips. He eye-smiled at her over the edge of his mug.

"Ahh, what's this?" William smiled as he took the small spoon from the baby's mouth and she half-swallowed, half-spit out a mouthful of oatmeal. "A tiny plink on the spoon? Bǎobǎo yǒu dì yī kē yáchǐ. Wǒ rènwéi." He spooned another bit of oatmeal into Skye's open mouth and felt the tap of a tooth a second time.

"WHAT?" Melinda exclaimed almost dropping her cup to the table as she practically dove over her father to get to her daughter.

"What's wrong? What happened? Is she okay?" Phil did drop his cup. It smashed to the floor splattering coffee not only across the tiled floor and cabinets but all over the man's shoes and pant legs. He ignored the sensation of heat and wet, rushing to his daughter's side and pulling her from the highchair into his arms. The remainder of her unswallowed oatmeal dribbled over his lapel and tie.

Melinda reached around him sliding her index finger in the squirming baby's mouth. Skye pulled back and away pushing her mother's intrusion out with her lip and tongue. She jerked her bottom, kicking her feet against Phil's chest and dove into his shoulder rapidly rubbing her oatmeal covered face into his jacket.

"My god, Phil…" Melinda smiled.

"What…what is it?" The look on his face was sheer panic as he turned the happy baby forward to look into her face. "Is she choking? Allergic reaction? What?"

"Zhège shǎguā rènwéi wǒ bùnéng zhàogù zhège yīng'ér." William remained in the chair, still holding the spoon of oatmeal as if the baby were before him.

"Bàba!" Melinda scolded, continuing to smile broadly. "He is not a fool! And we both know you are very capable of caring for Skye. You wouldn't be here if we didn't." William lowered the spoon into the small bowl and shook his head. She grabbed a damp washcloth from the table and wiped the baby's face clean. Skye protested by kicked her feet in a jerky rhythm.

Phil leaned down to peer into the baby's face. He still looked as if he might cry. "What, Melinda? What's wrong with her?" He sounded as if he might hyperventilate.

"She's got a tooth, Phil!" Melinda grabbed his hand and gently guided his finger to the tip of tooth that protruded from the baby's bottom gum.

Coulson rubbed back and forth as Skye once again tried to pull away. "A tooth…she does…her first tooth…our baby has a teeny tiny tooth." Skye smiled a goofy smile jutting out her jaw and bobbing the bitsy white sliver of enamel on her top lip as she bounced happily in her father's arms.

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"Ohhh, this is way too weird…" Daisy thought as she realized she had no control over the small body she now inhabited. She wasn't controlling it at all. It was more like she was just observing…observing from the inside. How was this even possible? And who the hell was this guy shoveling paste into her mouth….hmmm, maybe not paste…it tasted pretty good…warm, sweet…what was that flavor…bananas…milk…yeah. She tried to grab the spoon but her arms just flipped around crazy. She tried to stand but found herself mostly bouncing up and down and getting nowhere. What the hell kind of chair was she in and what kind of chair has a seat belt?

Okay everyone was talking and it wasn't all English and why the hell could she understand what they were saying in both languages. She only spoke one…didn't she?

Was that May? Geesh, she was a giant…and Coulson…he was even bigger! This had to be some kind of really weird dream.

"Come on Fitz, I need to wake up. There is something wrong here." That's what she thought but the words came out in some language she couldn't even identify. It seemed to be nothing more that bits and pieces of words…words that only started with 'b' or 'm' and damn this wacko language must only have one vowel because other than 'ba' and 'mmm' there didn't seem to be a lot of vocabulary.

They all seemed to be arguing about Coulson and May getting…getting married? MARRIED? And this old guy kept insulting Coulson in that other language…the one she did understand but apparently her father did not. How many times was he going to call Coulson a fool? May didn't like it because she kept scolding the guy in that same language…Mandarin…it was Mandarin. May spoke it when she was really angry or frustrated. She'd used it with Bobbi on a few missions, but Daisy never understood…but she did now…why?

Okay, Yéyé, yeah more of that mush. Yeah that works. This little body greedily gobbled the stuff that Daisy just couldn't get enough of from this…Yéyé? _Yéyé? Grandpa!_ This guy was May's father… 'I've got a grandfather!?" Again she babbled in the ancient language of 'ba-mum' and for some reason she couldn't help smiling.

May looked like she was lost in some faraway thought and Coulson was busy doctoring his early morning caffeine fix. This grandpa guy wasn't too bad. He smiled a lot more than his daughter and spoke in soft gentle words. He called her little pet names…no one ever called her pet names. She smiled at him as he gently spooned her another helping of mush. This time, the little metal spoon scraped on something in her mouth. She pushed it away with her tongue, losing most of the yummy concoction she was enjoying.

Holy shit! It really hit the fan. What the hell? Everyone was flipping out! May almost fell over her own feet and did Coulson just throw his coffee on the floor.

She didn't have the chance to determine if he did because the man yanked her up and out of her seat so quickly she was sure whatever she'd eaten so far was on its way back up. The little she did manage to keep in her mouth dribbled all over the front of Coulson.

No sense trying to apologize, it would only be in 'ba-mum' and pretty much no one understood it because all they did was smile and repeat it back to her. This was just nuts!

What the hell?! May was shoving a finger into her mouth, rubbing her gum? Daisy pushed and squirmed to get away. She was tempted to bite the digit but…holy crap…no teeth! She had no teeth! She moved her tongue and lip back and forth pushing May away and feeling all over her mouth. Gawd! No teeth! She'd had nightmares like this…all her teeth gone.

Coulson seemed on the verge of hysteria, thank god. At least someone could see the insanity of this crazy situation. This was one wild ride. _"What the hell, Fitz? This is no time for pranks!"_

Now she wasn't even speaking the wacko language, just bouncing and kicking and wiping her sticky face all over Coulson's shoulder. Damn, was he holding her? He was… _holding_ her! This was just getting weirder and weirder.

Ugh! Not again…May was shoving Coulson's finger across her gum. She could feel it rub against that sharp edge. She pushed him away just as she had with her mother and slid her tongue over the offensive object. It felt foreign…odd…and it hurt just a little. She stuck out her jaw and pressed it against her upper lip.

Grandpa's laughter echoed for a moment before it faded to black.

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"Oh no you don't, xiǎo hóuzi." May scolded gently as she caught the rapidly creeping baby up and plopped her back on the blanket spread on the grass. "You stay right here, little monkey."

Skye looked up at her mother and protested, "Da-da-da-da-da."

Melinda dropped down onto the blanket and smiled. "Don't you _daddy_ me, little girl. I know you have him wrapped around your little finger, but _I'm_ the boss now. If you want to spend time outdoors you'll need to stay on the blanket. There will be no tasting grass, sticks or stones today." She picked up a stuffed bunny and shook it at the baby. It rattled with a sprinkly sound.

"Da-da-da," Skye repeated patting both hands on the blanket.

"Mama," May corrected. "Say, ma ma…ma ma…" She drew out the word as she leaned down to her baby's eye level.

"Da-da-da," Skye insisted, rolling to her tummy and immediately getting to her hands and knees scrambling across the blanket to her mother. She pulled herself up to stand and look into her mother's face. "Da-da-da-da-da," she babbled happily, bending her knees and bouncing up and down to her own beat.

"Yes, da-da. I know, da-da. He will be here soon. He has a very important meeting today with a very important man." She laughed as the baby leaned forward and gnawed on her chin. Melinda sat her down and handed her a brightly colored spiral toy that Skye immediately stuck into her mouth and bit down on it.

Melinda smiled and smoothed down Skye's dark hair that had grown in but still stuck out in a few places. She unsnapped the small pink plastic barrette and finger combed the fine hair into place before snapping it back into place.

Skye banged the toy against the soft fuzzy blanket, grumbling, "ba, ba, ba, da, da, ba," angry at the fact the object was not giving off the desired bang it gave when whacked against the table top or highchair tray. She rocked her body forward and bounced a few times before rolling herself back to all fours and zipping into the soft grass that surrounded the blanket she shared with her mother.

Once again Melinda caught her around the waist and lifted her back to the blanket. This time the little girl arched her back and protested with a loud squeal that preceded a total melt down. "I'm so sorry, little girl, but mama said no." She turned the baby toward her and attempted to comfort her but Skye would have none of it.

"Da-da-da-da-da-da-da," She repeated, twisting to escape her mother's hold.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," Melinda laughed as she kissed the baby's cheek and bounced her side to side.

"Hey, what's the problem?" Phil's voice preceded him as he rounded the back porch and strode over to the blanket where Melinda stood with their upset daughter. The baby stopped wailing and sobbed as she stretched both little arms out to her father. He reached out his own arms and Skye fell into them, snuggling into his neck and whimpering softly. Melinda shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Pushover," she sneered as she bent to pick up the toys strewn across the play space.

"Come on, Mel, how's she gonna learn if you don't let her explore?" He lowered himself to the blanket, criss crossed his legs and sat her in the hole it created. Reaching back he pulled a fuzzy dandelion from the grass and held it in front of her.

Skye eyed the white puff ball, smiled and tilted her head back to look at her father. She babbled rapidly and wrapped her fist around the thin stem. She squealed with the excitement that drew a shiver through her entire body. "A-a-a-a, da-da-da," the baby bounced up and down watching the weed wobble in her hand.

"See," Phil smiled at Melinda. "She's just so curious."

Skye waved the flower a few times before stuffing the entire fuzzy ball into her mouth.

Melinda bounced to her knees from where she had just sat down. "Ugh!" she groaned as she reached to pull the parachute shaped seeds from her baby's tongue. Skye pulled a yuck-face and stuck out her tongue, spitting dandelion fluff and drool down her chin onto her yellow sun suit. May slid her finger into the baby's mouth fishing out all of the debris and wiping her lips and chin with the heel of her hand. Skye attempted to help by pushing her own two hands in as well. She pulled the stem from the baby's hand and tossed it across the lawn.

Phil laughed at the baby's plight and his partner's aversion to her exploration of nature. He casually snatched a twig from the grass but before Skye could see it her mother pulled it from his hand and tossed it, casting the man a look of death.

"Gotta eat a bushel of dirt before ya die, May." He laughed. She shook her head and sat back in her spot. Skye wriggled from her father's lap and crept a short distance before sitting down and reaching for the large basket May used to hold her toys.

"How'd the meeting go?" May changed the subject.

"Same old thing," Phil sighed. "Some spoiled millionaire whose father was instrumental in forming the SSD thinks he has all the answers because his father was who he was. Lots of smoke blowing." He sighed. "Wants to come on as a consultant…we'll see. Did get a level six clearance." He finished casually.

"Bout time," she smiled slyly.

"Yi-i-i-i," Skye squealed, drawing their attention to her rather than their conversation.

"Well, look at you!" Coulson smiled as he turned to his daughter who had pulled herself up and stood holding on to the large basket. She bounced herself up and down and continued to sing her own praises. "Proud of yourself, aren't you?" He reached out and patted her bottom. She stopped bouncing and raised one hand waving it up and down while repeating her babble over and over with gusto. "Getting brave, angel." Phil encouraged but put a hand out on either side of her just in case.

"She's been pulling herself up on everything for days." May informed him as she watched the scene unfold.

"Da-da-da-da-da-da-da," Skye inhaled then exhaled a long shriek of excitement as her hand came back to the basket and the bouncing continued. Phil beamed with pride.

"You are just eating that up, aren't you?" May groaned. He shrugged a smile. "You do know that 'd' is the easiest sound to make and almost always the first sound a child makes. Most likely just to keep fathers happy." She finished sarcastically.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Been reading that baby book again, huh?" This time May shrugged before both broke into laughter.

"A-da-ba-ba-ba," Skye mumbled gaining their attention. This time both fell silent. She had let go of the basket and was standing on her own, arms held up with her little fingers flapping next to her ears. May put a hand over her mouth to stop the gasp threatening to escape. She shook her head at Phil as he moved to jump up and pull her to safety.

The baby looked to her mother and smiled her cutest eight tooth smile before taking a tentative step forward, then a second and a third before falling into May's outstretched arms.

"She walked!" Phil breathed. "She walked… _three_ steps…" He was knee walking across the blanket as he spoke. Lifting Skye up and over his head, he bounced her in the air. "She walked!" He repeated before bringing down and covering her with kisses.

The baby was unimpressed, whining as she reached out with both arms to May. "Mum, mum, mum," Skye repeated as her mother took her into her arms.

"Mama?" May smiled. "Are you saying mama?"

Skye crumpled into May's lap and patted at her breast. "Mum, mum, mum, mum."

Phil could not contain his snicker. May let out an amused sigh as she unbuttoned her blouse allowing her hungry baby to cuddle into her breast and begin suckling. She brushed the fine hair from Skye's temple and watched as the little girl's eyes closed in satisfaction.

Coulson bent down and kissed the baby's head before reaching up to kiss her mother as well.

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Daisy sprang up from the gurney, eyes wide. She pushed away May who had leaned over to check her vitals. Digging her hands into her eyes she rubbed them and shook off the odd feeling of coming out of the program. She looked from May to Coulson and then back wondering why they were staring at her as shocked as she was staring back. Raising her hand to her mouth she felt her teeth, then chomped them together just to be sure they were all there and breathed a short sigh of relief before sticking out her tongue and brushing it rapidly with both hands, the feeling of phantom mini-chutes still there.

May placed a hand on her shoulder causing her to jump forward and drop to the floor. "Hey," May reacted quickly bending to bring the girl back to her feet.

Daisy's cheek rested against May's chest as she eased her back to the gurney. Daisy blinked twice then realized where and what her cheek leaned on. She gasped and pulled quickly away, falling back against Coulson who also tried to help support the girl.

"What the hell?" May growled.

Daisy threw a hand over her mouth and stifled a gag. 'I'm okay…okay…just a little disoriented.' It was only a thought as the girl was afraid to speak…afraid that the words would come out garbled or filled with single syllable babble. She attempted to stand again, but swayed to the side, her equilibrium totally nonexistent. Daisy knew without trying that she would not be able to exit the room as quickly as she wished and she wished to go very quickly.

"Hey, hey, it's alright," Coulson spoke softly squeezing her hand. "It's a little disorienting coming back." He still hadn't told Fitz about the throbbing pain in the top of his head that grew worse with each leap into the Framework. "How 'bout we help you to your bunk. You'll be more comfortable there." Tucking his arm under hers he eased her off the table. May did the same on the other side. Daisy pulled to the left attempting to lean more against her father and did everything in her power not to stare at her mother's breast.

May grinned at the sight. 'Still a daddy's girl,' she thought then wondered where the thought evolved.

A few minutes later Coulson and May helped Daisy into her bunk. They gently lowered her onto her bed and let her lay back on the pillows. Coulson slipped off her sneakers while May pulled a blanket over her then sat on the edge of the bed. She brushed the stray hairs from Daisy's face and smiled knowingly.

"It's a little weird in there, I know." May's voice was soft and gentle, almost soothing. Coulson rubbed his temples and nodded his agreement.

Daisy nodded, not trusting her words…not sure what language, if any might come out.

 **Chapter 5**

 **First Time for Everything**

Coulson stopped. The pain in the top of his head was likened to a railroad spike being driven into his skull. He grit his teeth and grabbed the cool edge of the counter in front of him. Its cold smooth surface seemed to ground him, to ease his pain. Leaning back and then forward, he felt the memory of that gawd-awful merry go round thing in the playground of his youth. His stomach flipped and he panted quickly to quell the feeling of nausea. The smell of menthol was both confusing and sickening. He dropped his hand and felt the small metal object there tap the marble surface. The sound that he swore was a hiss of machinery was, in reality, water running into a basin…no, a sink. The image before him became clear and no he had not sprouted a white beard, but his chin was covered with the foam of shaving cream. He looked to the razor in his right hand and blinked a few times as the pain in both his head and stomach faded.

"Come on, Phil, you want to be late our first day back?" May slipped in front of him to apply finishing touches on make-up and hair. "You should be done. I'll be downstairs. Get a move on." She spoke quickly, almost out of breath as she exited the room.

Phil shook off the confusion of entering this strange world without leaving his conscious behind and wondered if it was something he should discuss with Fitz. He shrugged his shoulders. It was only six hours. He could handle it. Raising the razor he pulled it down one side of his face, beginning his morning ritual.

xx

Stepping quickly down the stairs while straightening his tie, Coulson slowed as he reached the bottom. May was speaking softly…speaking to someone who was speaking back. The voice was low and gentle, definitely male. It was a voice he hadn't heard in more years than he cared to count although he was more than sure the man was still alive. The man who had no love loss for him though he never could understand why until recently. Nope, no man would ever be good enough for his daughter and he was positive William May felt exactly the same about him. But, why would he be here. Phil could not help the smile that spread across his face at the sound of a third voice, although the her words made no sense…if you could call all that babbling, words.

"You do not have to worry, daughter," William's soft voice sighed. "I was able to care for you alone. I am sure this is not much different."

"Ba, ba, ba, ba, um, um…" Skye babbled between shrieks and squawks while banging a sippy-cup with both hands against her highchair tray.

"Nǐ èle ma, wǒ měilì de sūnnǚ?" The older man smiled at the baby. Skye answered blowing raspberries and dropping her cup to the floor. She looked over the edge of the tray and watched it spin then bounced her body back and forth clapping her tiny hands together.

"Her cereal is here," Melinda informed her father in a rushed voice. "And no whole milk, Bàba. I've pumped enough to last the day. I've already nursed her this morning and when I get home I will nurse her again. Her juice needs to be watered down or you will have more messy diapers than you care to change."

William laughed as he handed his granddaughter a teething toy which she took with both hands and shoved into her mouth, gumming it hungrily. "I see you are much like your mother, sūnnǚ." Melinda's cheeks pinked as she rolled her eyes.

Coulson stepped into the kitchen and nodded at May as he moved toward the coffee pot. "Good Morning, Phillip," William greeted him without turning around. "Have you given any thought to making my daughter an honest woman?"

Coulson jumped as the hot liquid he was pouring spilled on to his hand and he reacted to the statement.

"Bàba, nǐ xiǎng zǎodiǎn kāishǐ zhège dì yī jiàn shì ma?" Melinda scolded her father. "Wǒmen qǐng nǐ lái zhèlǐ bāngzhù wǒmen zhàogù Skye. Nǐ bùyào ràng shìqíng biàn dé gèng kùnnán. Fēilìpǔ yāoqiú wǒ měitiān jià gěi tā."

She and Phil had argued for weeks but finally came to a temporary cease-fire and invited May's father to move in and help with Skye as they both returned to their work at SHIELD. Melinda's mother sided with Phil saying that William was too old and too permissive to be responsible for such a strong willed child.

"She's ten months old, mother…" Melinda had argued. "I don't think she has plans for a hostile take over of the kitchen." Lian snarled at her daughter and walked away in a huff. Phil watched her leave and knew he had lost his ally and probably the argument. Not that Coulson had anything against William May…it was quite the opposite. Mr. May was not entirely fond of his granddaughter's father and had no problem letting him know it. It was probably why he greeted Phil every morning with the same question – regarding his putting a ring on Melinda's finger and giving her baby a legitimate father.

Melinda told her father every morning, as well, that Phil had asked her to marry over and over, but she had just as many times said no. She was the hold-out…the half that refused to commit to a lifelong promise that had more of a chance of failure than not. She'd lived through her parents' divorce and did not intend for Skye to have to live that heartache. They'd chosen a lifestyle that could tear them apart at the drop of a…of a bullet or a knife or a well placed punch. She never thought of her baby as a mistake but she was an unplanned event that had taken both of them by surprise.

Living together was a mutual agreement. The fact that they fit together like butter on bread was just a bonus. They bought the house to give Skye a place to grow up; a foundation…roots…a base. It had four bedrooms and at the beginning they each chose one and designed the third as their daughter's nursery…the fourth as a guest room. That lasted about three months while they took turns walking the floor with their baby girl who seemed to think staying up all night was a grand idea. Most of the time they collapsed out of sheer exhaustion, barely able to speak in full sentences let alone develop any kind of _close_ relationship. They took turns sleeping during the day in order to be on their toes…or feet as it was…all night.

And then it happened…in the fall…the last day of October. They'd dressed their baby in her jack-o-lantern sleeper and passed out bags of goodies to the neighborhood children for three hours. Melinda spent an hour nursing the infant while Phil cleaned up and managed to put away the last of the candy filled bags. Skye was sound asleep when he took her from her mother and placed her in the crib. He joined Melinda in front of the television to stare at the late night news and wait for Skye's demanding screams…that did not come. They waited until midnight, tiptoed into her room and found her sound asleep on her tummy. She'd rolled over…all on her own…from her back to her stomach. It was a moment of immense pride. Coulson felt as if he had fathered a genius, rolling over at just under four months of age. Phil gave a quick thumb's up and followed Melinda into the hallway. They were dizzy with pride and in lieu of popping the cork on a bottle of champagne they skipped to the end result, fell into Melinda's bed and each other's arms in full control of their enthusiasm.

Perhaps it was just because they were so relieved their little one had finally discovered the joy of sleeping through the night or maybe that they had discovered the joy of having time for each other ( _through the night)_ , but they woke up in the same bed. At the crack of dawn they blinked into each other's eyes then dashed to the baby's room in such panic they neglected to grab any item of clothing only to find Skye happily kicking at the mobile that hung over her crib and gumming all four fingers of her right hand. Sure enough she had also mastered the feat of rolling from her stomach to her back. Surely, she _was_ a genius!

The following evening Phil met Melinda at the side of the crib when he rose to check on the soundly sleeping infant. She put a finger to her lips indicating he should be quiet then crooked the other finger at him beckoning him to follow her…all the way back to her room. After four nights of meeting in the same fashion and slipping perfectly into each other…they no longer had separate rooms. Skye slept through the night and Phil officially moved into what became the master bedroom.

They didn't discuss it or worry if one or the other needed more time or space…it just felt right and they kept it that way.

Melinda turned and smiled at Phil who had managed to add milk and sugar to his coffee and bring it to his lips. He eye-smiled at her over the edge of his mug.

"Ahh, what's this?" William smiled as he took the small spoon from the baby's mouth and she half-swallowed, half-spit out a mouthful of oatmeal. "A tiny plink on the spoon? Bǎobǎo yǒu dì yī kē yáchǐ. Wǒ rènwéi." He spooned another bit of oatmeal into Skye's open mouth and felt the tap of a tooth a second time.

"WHAT?" Melinda exclaimed almost dropping her cup to the table as she practically dove over her father to get to her daughter.

"What's wrong? What happened? Is she okay?" Phil did drop his cup. It smashed to the floor splattering coffee not only across the tiled floor and cabinets but all over the man's shoes and pant legs. He ignored the sensation of heat and wet, rushing to his daughter's side and pulling her from the highchair into his arms. The remainder of her unswallowed oatmeal dribbled over his lapel and tie.

Melinda reached around him sliding her index finger in the squirming baby's mouth. Skye pulled back and away pushing her mother's intrusion out with her lip and tongue. She jerked her bottom, kicking her feet against Phil's chest and dove into his shoulder rapidly rubbing her oatmeal covered face into his jacket.

"My god, Phil…" Melinda smiled.

"What…what is it?" The look on his face was sheer panic as he turned the happy baby forward to look into her face. "Is she choking? Allergic reaction? What?"

"Zhège shǎguā rènwéi wǒ bùnéng zhàogù zhège yīng'ér." William remained in the chair, still holding the spoon of oatmeal as if the baby were before him.

"Bàba!" Melinda scolded, continuing to smile broadly. "He is not a fool! And we both know you are very capable of caring for Skye. You wouldn't be here if we didn't." William lowered the spoon into the small bowl and shook his head. She grabbed a damp washcloth from the table and wiped the baby's face clean. Skye protested by kicked her feet in a jerky rhythm.

Phil leaned down to peer into the baby's face. He still looked as if he might cry. "What, Melinda? What's wrong with her?" He sounded as if he might hyperventilate.

"She's got a tooth, Phil!" Melinda grabbed his hand and gently guided his finger to the tip of tooth that protruded from the baby's bottom gum.

Coulson rubbed back and forth as Skye once again tried to pull away. "A tooth…she does…her first tooth…our baby has a teeny tiny tooth." Skye smiled a goofy smile jutting out her jaw and bobbing the bitsy white sliver of enamel on her top lip as she bounced happily in her father's arms.

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"Ohhh, this is way too weird…" Daisy thought as she realized she had no control over the small body she now inhabited. She wasn't controlling it at all. It was more like she was just observing…observing from the inside. How was this even possible? And who the hell was this guy shoveling paste into her mouth….hmmm, maybe not paste…it tasted pretty good…warm, sweet…what was that flavor…bananas…milk…yeah. She tried to grab the spoon but her arms just flipped around crazy. She tried to stand but found herself mostly bouncing up and down and getting nowhere. What the hell kind of chair was she in and what kind of chair has a seat belt?

Okay everyone was talking and it wasn't all English and why the hell could she understand what they were saying in both languages. She only spoke one…didn't she?

Was that May? Geesh, she was a giant…and Coulson…he was even bigger! This had to be some kind of really weird dream.

"Come on Fitz, I need to wake up. There is something wrong here." That's what she thought but the words came out in some language she couldn't even identify. It seemed to be nothing more that bits and pieces of words…words that only started with 'b' or 'm' and damn this wacko language must only have one vowel because other than 'ba' and 'mmm' there didn't seem to be a lot of vocabulary.

They all seemed to be arguing about Coulson and May getting…getting married? MARRIED? And this old guy kept insulting Coulson in that other language…the one she did understand but apparently her father did not. How many times was he going to call Coulson a fool? May didn't like it because she kept scolding the guy in that same language…Mandarin…it was Mandarin. May spoke it when she was really angry or frustrated. She'd used it with Bobbi on a few missions, but Daisy never understood…but she did now…why?

Okay, Yéyé, yeah more of that mush. Yeah that works. This little body greedily gobbled the stuff that Daisy just couldn't get enough of from this…Yéyé? _Yéyé? Grandpa!_ This guy was May's father… 'I've got a grandfather!?" Again she babbled in the ancient language of 'ba-mum' and for some reason she couldn't help smiling.

May looked like she was lost in some faraway thought and Coulson was busy doctoring his early morning caffeine fix. This grandpa guy wasn't too bad. He smiled a lot more than his daughter and spoke in soft gentle words. He called her little pet names…no one ever called her pet names. She smiled at him as he gently spooned her another helping of mush. This time, the little metal spoon scraped on something in her mouth. She pushed it away with her tongue, losing most of the yummy concoction she was enjoying.

Holy shit! It really hit the fan. What the hell? Everyone was flipping out! May almost fell over her own feet and did Coulson just throw his coffee on the floor.

She didn't have the chance to determine if he did because the man yanked her up and out of her seat so quickly she was sure whatever she'd eaten so far was on its way back up. The little she did manage to keep in her mouth dribbled all over the front of Coulson.

No sense trying to apologize, it would only be in 'ba-mum' and pretty much no one understood it because all they did was smile and repeat it back to her. This was just nuts!

What the hell?! May was shoving a finger into her mouth, rubbing her gum? Daisy pushed and squirmed to get away. She was tempted to bite the digit but…holy crap…no teeth! She had no teeth! She moved her tongue and lip back and forth pushing May away and feeling all over her mouth. Gawd! No teeth! She'd had nightmares like this…all her teeth gone.

Coulson seemed on the verge of hysteria, thank god. At least someone could see the insanity of this crazy situation. This was one wild ride. _"What the hell, Fitz? This is no time for pranks!"_

Now she wasn't even speaking the wacko language, just bouncing and kicking and wiping her sticky face all over Coulson's shoulder. Damn, was he holding her? He was… _holding_ her! This was just getting weirder and weirder.

Ugh! Not again…May was shoving Coulson's finger across her gum. She could feel it rub against that sharp edge. She pushed him away just as she had with her mother and slid her tongue over the offensive object. It felt foreign…odd…and it hurt just a little. She stuck out her jaw and pressed it against her upper lip.

Grandpa's laughter echoed for a moment before it faded to black.

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"Oh no you don't, xiǎo hóuzi." May scolded gently as she caught the rapidly creeping baby up and plopped her back on the blanket spread on the grass. "You stay right here, little monkey."

Skye looked up at her mother and protested, "Da-da-da-da-da."

Melinda dropped down onto the blanket and smiled. "Don't you _daddy_ me, little girl. I know you have him wrapped around your little finger, but _I'm_ the boss now. If you want to spend time outdoors you'll need to stay on the blanket. There will be no tasting grass, sticks or stones today." She picked up a stuffed bunny and shook it at the baby. It rattled with a sprinkly sound.

"Da-da-da," Skye repeated patting both hands on the blanket.

"Mama," May corrected. "Say, ma ma…ma ma…" She drew out the word as she leaned down to her baby's eye level.

"Da-da-da," Skye insisted, rolling to her tummy and immediately getting to her hands and knees scrambling across the blanket to her mother. She pulled herself up to stand and look into her mother's face. "Da-da-da-da-da," she babbled happily, bending her knees and bouncing up and down to her own beat.

"Yes, da-da. I know, da-da. He will be here soon. He has a very important meeting today with a very important man." She laughed as the baby leaned forward and gnawed on her chin. Melinda sat her down and handed her a brightly colored spiral toy that Skye immediately stuck into her mouth and bit down on it.

Melinda smiled and smoothed down Skye's dark hair that had grown in but still stuck out in a few places. She unsnapped the small pink plastic barrette and finger combed the fine hair into place before snapping it back into place.

Skye banged the toy against the soft fuzzy blanket, grumbling, "ba, ba, ba, da, da, ba," angry at the fact the object was not giving off the desired bang it gave when whacked against the table top or highchair tray. She rocked her body forward and bounced a few times before rolling herself back to all fours and zipping into the soft grass that surrounded the blanket she shared with her mother.

Once again Melinda caught her around the waist and lifted her back to the blanket. This time the little girl arched her back and protested with a loud squeal that preceded a total melt down. "I'm so sorry, little girl, but mama said no." She turned the baby toward her and attempted to comfort her but Skye would have none of it.

"Da-da-da-da-da-da-da," She repeated, twisting to escape her mother's hold.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," Melinda laughed as she kissed the baby's cheek and bounced her side to side.

"Hey, what's the problem?" Phil's voice preceded him as he rounded the back porch and strode over to the blanket where Melinda stood with their upset daughter. The baby stopped wailing and sobbed as she stretched both little arms out to her father. He reached out his own arms and Skye fell into them, snuggling into his neck and whimpering softly. Melinda shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Pushover," she sneered as she bent to pick up the toys strewn across the play space.

"Come on, Mel, how's she gonna learn if you don't let her explore?" He lowered himself to the blanket, criss crossed his legs and sat her in the hole it created. Reaching back he pulled a fuzzy dandelion from the grass and held it in front of her.

Skye eyed the white puff ball, smiled and tilted her head back to look at her father. She babbled rapidly and wrapped her fist around the thin stem. She squealed with the excitement that drew a shiver through her entire body. "A-a-a-a, da-da-da," the baby bounced up and down watching the weed wobble in her hand.

"See," Phil smiled at Melinda. "She's just so curious."

Skye waved the flower a few times before stuffing the entire fuzzy ball into her mouth.

Melinda bounced to her knees from where she had just sat down. "Ugh!" she groaned as she reached to pull the parachute shaped seeds from her baby's tongue. Skye pulled a yuck-face and stuck out her tongue, spitting dandelion fluff and drool down her chin onto her yellow sun suit. May slid her finger into the baby's mouth fishing out all of the debris and wiping her lips and chin with the heel of her hand. Skye attempted to help by pushing her own two hands in as well. She pulled the stem from the baby's hand and tossed it across the lawn.

Phil laughed at the baby's plight and his partner's aversion to her exploration of nature. He casually snatched a twig from the grass but before Skye could see it her mother pulled it from his hand and tossed it, casting the man a look of death.

"Gotta eat a bushel of dirt before ya die, May." He laughed. She shook her head and sat back in her spot. Skye wriggled from her father's lap and crept a short distance before sitting down and reaching for the large basket May used to hold her toys.

"How'd the meeting go?" May changed the subject.

"Same old thing," Phil sighed. "Some spoiled millionaire whose father was instrumental in forming the SSD thinks he has all the answers because his father was who he was. Lots of smoke blowing." He sighed. "Wants to come on as a consultant…we'll see. Did get a level six clearance." He finished casually.

"Bout time," she smiled slyly.

"Yi-i-i-i," Skye squealed, drawing their attention to her rather than their conversation.

"Well, look at you!" Coulson smiled as he turned to his daughter who had pulled herself up and stood holding on to the large basket. She bounced herself up and down and continued to sing her own praises. "Proud of yourself, aren't you?" He reached out and patted her bottom. She stopped bouncing and raised one hand waving it up and down while repeating her babble over and over with gusto. "Getting brave, angel." Phil encouraged but put a hand out on either side of her just in case.

"She's been pulling herself up on everything for days." May informed him as she watched the scene unfold.

"Da-da-da-da-da-da-da," Skye inhaled then exhaled a long shriek of excitement as her hand came back to the basket and the bouncing continued. Phil beamed with pride.

"You are just eating that up, aren't you?" May groaned. He shrugged a smile. "You do know that 'd' is the easiest sound to make and almost always the first sound a child makes. Most likely just to keep fathers happy." She finished sarcastically.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Been reading that baby book again, huh?" This time May shrugged before both broke into laughter.

"A-da-ba-ba-ba," Skye mumbled gaining their attention. This time both fell silent. She had let go of the basket and was standing on her own, arms held up with her little fingers flapping next to her ears. May put a hand over her mouth to stop the gasp threatening to escape. She shook her head at Phil as he moved to jump up and pull her to safety.

The baby looked to her mother and smiled her cutest eight tooth smile before taking a tentative step forward, then a second and a third before falling into May's outstretched arms.

"She walked!" Phil breathed. "She walked… _three_ steps…" He was knee walking across the blanket as he spoke. Lifting Skye up and over his head, he bounced her in the air. "She walked!" He repeated before bringing down and covering her with kisses.

The baby was unimpressed, whining as she reached out with both arms to May. "Mum, mum, mum," Skye repeated as her mother took her into her arms.

"Mama?" May smiled. "Are you saying mama?"

Skye crumpled into May's lap and patted at her breast. "Mum, mum, mum, mum."

Phil could not contain his snicker. May let out an amused sigh as she unbuttoned her blouse allowing her hungry baby to cuddle into her breast and begin suckling. She brushed the fine hair from Skye's temple and watched as the little girl's eyes closed in satisfaction.

Coulson bent down and kissed the baby's head before reaching up to kiss her mother as well.

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Daisy sprang up from the gurney, eyes wide. She pushed away May who had leaned over to check her vitals. Digging her hands into her eyes she rubbed them and shook off the odd feeling of coming out of the program. She looked from May to Coulson and then back wondering why they were staring at her as shocked as she was staring back. Raising her hand to her mouth she felt her teeth, then chomped them together just to be sure they were all there and breathed a short sigh of relief before sticking out her tongue and brushing it rapidly with both hands, the feeling of phantom mini-chutes still there.

May placed a hand on her shoulder causing her to jump forward and drop to the floor. "Hey," May reacted quickly bending to bring the girl back to her feet.

Daisy's cheek rested against May's chest as she eased her back to the gurney. Daisy blinked twice then realized where and what her cheek leaned on. She gasped and pulled quickly away, falling back against Coulson who also tried to help support the girl.

"What the hell?" May growled.

Daisy threw a hand over her mouth and stifled a gag. 'I'm okay…okay…just a little disoriented.' It was only a thought as the girl was afraid to speak…afraid that the words would come out garbled or filled with single syllable babble. She attempted to stand again, but swayed to the side, her equilibrium totally nonexistent. Daisy knew without trying that she would not be able to exit the room as quickly as she wished and she wished to go very quickly.

"Hey, hey, it's alright," Coulson spoke softly squeezing her hand. "It's a little disorienting coming back." He still hadn't told Fitz about the throbbing pain in the top of his head that grew worse with each leap into the Framework. "How 'bout we help you to your bunk. You'll be more comfortable there." Tucking his arm under hers he eased her off the table. May did the same on the other side. Daisy pulled to the left attempting to lean more against her father and did everything in her power not to stare at her mother's breast.

May grinned at the sight. 'Still a daddy's girl,' she thought then wondered where the thought evolved.

A few minutes later Coulson and May helped Daisy into her bunk. They gently lowered her onto her bed and let her lay back on the pillows. Coulson slipped off her sneakers while May pulled a blanket over her then sat on the edge of the bed. She brushed the stray hairs from Daisy's face and smiled knowingly.

"It's a little weird in there, I know." May's voice was soft and gentle, almost soothing. Coulson rubbed his temples and nodded his agreement.

Daisy nodded, not trusting her words…not sure what language, if any might come out.

"It's a natural progression, Daisy." Coulson added. "If you want, we'll stop. We don't have to go back."

She shook her head. Yeah it was weird…really weird but she never felt closer to any other people. This was how parents bonded with their children…this was how families grew into each other. It was all she never imagined and for as uncomfortable as it was she still wanted more.

"You need to rest, bǎobǎo." May crooned as she ran her fingers through her daughter's hair.

"Mama…" Daisy whispered as her eyes fluttered shut.


	6. Cht 6 - The World Just Keeps on Turning

**Chapter 6**

 **The World Just Keeps on Turning**

Nadya Piper silently motioned for her team to move forward. She and her six comrades moved slowly through the area which twenty-five years ago was a missionary settlement. It had been abandoned after the tragedy that wiped out the small village had occurred. The subtropical climate had quickly reclaimed the small civilized spot. Occasionally a team member stepped on a piece of broken pottery or over a beam that may have once held the small hospital that stood in the village.

The young woman secretly felt the mission was a waste of time and effort, but had jumped at the chance to lead it on her own. Piper knew the history of this place. In the last few years it had become common knowledge to SHIELD operatives, almost legendary. The inhuman Quake was thought to have come from this very place, rescued by a team of agents and hidden in the foster care system for years before Agent Coulson pulled her out of some van in a back alley somewhere in East L.A. This place was decimated by Hydra agents that night. Everyone except that baby had been killed. It was the hole in the story…the mystery that had never been solved. By the looks of things it never would be.

The team had fanned out and found little to help with what Simmons had sent them in search of in this sparsely populated part of Xiangtan Country. This was an area filled with rice farmers and people who feared strangers…especially those in military garb that parachuted into the jungle in the dead of night and snuck around nonexistent villages.

Piper was about to call the mission when her earpiece crackled with the hushed voice of one of her men. She ordered him to stay put and signaled the others to follow her to his location. They found him on the perimeter of the old village holding the arm of a very frightened young boy. He looked to be about ten years old.

With a nod the young team leader sent one of the men forward. He lowered his weapon and pushed back the infrared glasses from his face. Smiling he spoke to the boy in his native language telling him there was no need to be afraid that they were there looking for information and did he know of anyone who knew of the mission that once stood here.

The boy shook his head rapidly, still terrorized by the invaders in his small world. The agent continued to speak softly to the boy, assuring him they were friendly. Finally the young boy pointed to the west stammering that his grandmother might know more than he did…that she sometimes spoke of the devil that lived here many years before…the devil that was driven out the night the village burned to the ground.

Piper blew out a long breath and pursed her lips. Maybe there _was_ something worth their time.

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May sat at the small table in the common room, sipping a cup of very hot tea. She watched as Coulson stirred his coffee, resting his cheek on one hand and staring at nothing.

"How long are you going to let this go?" She broke the silence with her question.

"Huh?" Coulson responded, lifting his head and squinting as he looked up at her.

"How long?" May repeated.

"Do you think it's harming her?" Coulson looked in the direction of Daisy's bunk.

May smiled as she swallowed and set down her cup. "I think she's having a hard time dealing with things none of us are ever meant to remember, but no I don't think it will do any harm."

Coulson nodded as he brought his cup to his lips and took a small sip then set down the cup. He raised both his hands and massaged his temples slowly. This headache was getting worse, spreading around the top of his head like a yarmulke. He dropped one hand to the table and rested his forehead on the palm of the other.

"That's not what I meant." May spoke softly as she let her hand rest on top of his.

Phil looked at the small hand that lay on the back of his own, trying to push back the feeling that he was sure had grown from the time they had spent in Fitz's computer program.

"Do you really think you can hide your pain from me? I know you better than that." She pulled her hand away, rested on the back of her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. "Besides, you've been popping aspirin like Tic-Tacs™

Phil tapped his fingers lightly on the table, missing the warmth of her hand on his. "It's just a headache, Mel…probably just stress. None of this is easy." He looked up at her and gave a weak smile. "It's strange, isn't it? I mean in there we're…we're…" He felt the heat growing in his cheeks and looked away from the woman he held in the deepest regard. Phil had strong feelings for Melinda May, he always had. He just didn't know quite how to put them in words but he did enjoy every minute he spent with her in the 'Fitz-work'. He rubbed his temples again and squeezed his eyes shut. "It's just different, that's all." He dropped his hands and laughed, "and that little one didn't let us get much sleep, did she? Sleep deprivation, huh."

May just watched him squirm to explain then narrowed her eyes and smiled slyly. "No, we weren't getting much sleep in there, at all."

Coulson's eyebrows rose as he tried to swallow the shock. He knew for sure, just by her look that she was definitely not referring to their anti-sleep baby.

"Maybe you should sit this one out." May suggested. "It won't do us any good to go through all of this just to lose you because of it." She continued staring at him.

"It's just a headache." He shook his head, amused at her sudden mothering.

May leaned forward with her arms still across her chest and whispered. "Then let FitzSimmons know so I don't have to."

Phil stared at her for a second before answering. "Fine, I'll tell them today."

"Tell who what?" Daisy interjected as she breezed into the room heading directly to the refrigerator. She pulled out the milk, unscrewed the top and brought it to her mouth. One glare from May had her reaching for a glass and pouring it instead. Recapping the plastic jug she returned it to the fridge, gabbed the glass and dropped into the chair that separated the couple already at the table.

"How are you this morning?" Coulson asked, changing the subject as May shook her head minutely.

Daisy took a long drink, wiped her mouth and shook her head. "Had the weirdest dream," she thought for a moment then smiled, "but I slept like a baby."

May laughed silently at the irony of her statement. Apparently her recollection of their time in the new Framework was short lived. Was it possible she slept it off? Or had her student/daughter learned to mask her feelings so well that she could not see through her? Whatever the reason, Daisy seemed much more at ease with their relationship this morning.

Coulson downed the last of his coffee, stood and carried the empty mug to the sink. "Well, ladies I've got some paperwork to finish before we meet today. You enjoy your breakfast." He took a step toward the door.

"Fitz?" May asked, posing the question with one word.

The man stopped, closed his eyes but did not turn around. "Today," he answered then continued out of the room.

May turned back to the girl at the table. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it was impolite to stare?" She smirked.

Daisy thought for a moment. "I don't remember…yet, but I bet she did."

May narrowed her eyes at the girl who quickly looked away, rising from her seat and practically falling over the chair as she did. "I am famished," Daisy spoke to no one. "I wonder if we've got some oatmeal." She began opening and closing cupboard doors in her search.

May smiled slightly and sipped her tea.

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Piper and her team followed the young boy for almost an hour through the dense subtropical foliage. She half wondered what the kid was doing alone in the jungle during the night then figured it was nothing to worry about. She was just about to call it and turn the whole thing around when they stepped into a small village.

The boy stopped and pointed toward one of the rickety structures, rattling off to the only member of the team that understood him. The agent nodded and the boy took off running. He and the rest of the team stood watching as a handful of people peeked out of their simple shacks at the strangers. A few minutes later the young boy returned leading an older man by the hand. They spoke to each other quickly before the man sent the boy back and turned toward the team.

"Welcome," the older man spoke with a thick accent. "We knew that you would come."

Piper scrunched her face in confusion and stepped forward. "How's that?" She used her best command voice, letting him know she was in charge. It was more than strange that this man spoke English so fluently.

"Few strangers visit that place. It holds secrets that only your kind would seek." The man stated simply.

"Our _kind_?" Piper repeated.

"Warriors," the man nodded, "such as those who lost their lives with our ancestors on that night."

"How would you know? There were no survivors" Piper was wary of the older man.

"In the village? No, none survived, but a small group of us were on the mountain." He nodded toward the rise to the west and smiled as he joined his hands together at his waist. "Even with western medicine we are still very confident in the herbs used for centuries by our culture." He turned and took a few steps before motioning for her to follow. "Those you see here are the children of the fortunate who were not in the village that fateful night. Even from the mountain we could hear the screams…see the smoke."

Piper walked alongside the man, with her still armed team following.

"There is no need for weapons here, young woman. We are simple rice farmers. We have nothing anyone would try to take or would even want. We keep to ourselves and seek only to be left to our lives." They stopped in front of a shack that looked a bit larger and, if possible, grander than the rest.

'This guy must be someone important.' She thought as he pulled back a dingy curtain and waited for her to step inside. Piper stared at the man for a second. His smile had not changed. Nothing in the small village had given her a sense of danger. No one had made any violent threats…nothing moved at all. She motioned for the agent who spoke Mandarin to follow and told the others to stand down, but to be wary…remain vigilant outside the hut. She and Agent Chen stepped over the threshold.

Once inside it took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the dim light of the one candle that burned in a small dish. The boy they had followed sat cross legged on a straw mattress. He stared at them with wide eyes. A young girl, perhaps a few years older than the boy, moved around the room setting small cups and dry rice cakes on the makeshift table. She pulled a kettle from the fire pit and poured boiling water into a large pot then sealed it and joined the boy on the mat. They both sat in silence. Chen greeted them in their language, but they did not respond.

"Please sit," the man motioned to the stools that surrounded the table. He spoke to the girl, who rose, gathered more rice cakes and exited the hut through the same door they entered.

Piper watched her then motioned for Chen to sit while she did the same. She removed her helmet, placing it on her weapon which she held across her lap. Her teammate did the same. A soft rustling sound had her almost on her feet before the man put out a hand and smiled once again. He stepped to another curtained doorway and pushed it aside allowing a small ancient woman to shuffle through and join them at the table. Piper fought to keep her eyes from widening. She had never seen such a wrinkled visage. The woman lowered herself into the only piece of furniture that might be called a chair without making eye contact with any of them. The man spoke to her quietly, to which she nodded once and slid her hands into the opposite sleeves of her shabby robe.

"My mother," the man explained. "She can tell of the night the Bèi zǔzhòu de cūnzhuāng was destroyed."

Piper looked to Chen who seemed confused as well as alarmed. He leaned closer to her and whispered…"Village of the Damned."

"We preferred to think of them as cursed more so than damned, but in your language perhaps it is the same." The man corrected. "Forgive me, I have not told you my name. I am Huang. My mother is Wei Zhi. She can give you the information you seek. She has the memories, the story of the Bèi zǔzhòu de." Chen moved to speak as the woman nodded. "Cursed," Huang smiled before he could translate.

Piper held up a hand stopping the man and his mother. "We aren't here about what happened in the village, at least not about that night. We're looking for information on the baby, the baby that was saved…information about a different night. The night she was born."

The older woman became agitated speaking rapidly and waving her hands. Huang spoke at the same time and Piper wondered how either could understand the other since no one seemed to be listening. She looked to Chen who shrugged his shoulders. Local versions of the language were common and they were speaking so quickly the agent could barely pick out a few words. He did understand a few. "Baby…demon…monster…doctor…" The rest was garbled in the wordy argument of the mother and her son. It halted as suddenly as it had erupted and Huang turned, apologized quickly and began pouring tea into the small cups on the table.

"She will answer your questions, but you must agree when you have your answers, that you will leave our village in peace and return no more."

Piper looked at Chen and gave a curt nod. Huang nodded reverently to his mother.

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"Neither May nor Daisy are experiencing these headaches?" Fitz asked as he stared at the tablet in his hands. Simmons held a stethoscope to Coulson's chest then pulled a small flashlight from her pocket and flicked in across both of his eyes.

Coulson shook his head in an attempt to answer and cooperate with the young doctor at the same time. "Not that I know of…neither of them has said anything or given me reason to think so."

Jemma sat back on the rolling stool where she was perched and shook her head. "Everything seems perfectly normal. All of your readings are the same as your last physical. Perhaps we should consider an MRI or EEG, just to be on the safe side."

Phil stood up and pulled on his shirt. "I don't think we need to go that far, it's just a headache. Really."

"A headache that is getting progressively worse, as you have said _and_ has lasted almost three days." Simmons frowned.

Coulson buttoned his shirt quickly, almost frustrated with the fact he had even told the scientists in the first place, but he had promised May and that was important. "It isn't interfering with what I'm doing. I can live with it." His frustration was showing.

"And if it gets worse?" Jemma wondered. Fitz waited for an answer.

"Then we'll deal with it." Coulson answered in a calmer tone.

Fitz shook his head. "Perhaps it would be wise for you to skip today's session. Maybe it would be well to have all of you take a day off."

Coulson shook his head, regretting it immediately. "No, we need to finish this. If we take one day what's to stop you from suggesting another and another?"

"I wouldn't do that," Fitz was insulted. "But given a day, I could recalibrate the program, upgrade it a bit and hope that it helps."

"I don't think it's your program, Fitz." Coulson placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder in an unspoken apology.

"Then let me reprogram your headpiece, perhaps the fact that you are moving back and forth without totally joining the stream is what's causing the pain. Perhaps your mind is having a difficult time holding on to both realities at the same time." Fitz suggested.

"Fitz, be serious," Jemma scoffed. "You can't get a headache in your mind. The mind is not a physical body organ. It's merely a collection of memories, thoughts and ideas."

"Yes but, Coulson's thoughts and ideas are all jumbled together trying to sort themselves out all at the same time…all the time." Fitz opened and closed his fists as he rotated them around each other in demonstration. "Perhaps the memories we are trying to create are conflicting with those that already exist. I mean we are trying to change history albeit personal history. We are giving you memories of things that never really happened."

For a moment it was silent as the truth of Fitz's statement struck home. It was true. Calvin Johnson had see to that when he stole their daughter and then spent her lifetime on a killing spree to find her. He searched the world, killing countless victims to put Daisy through needless terror…to regain the child that was never his. Coulson could almost feel his blood boiling off the pain in his head. Maybe that was the source. Maybe his hatred for the man and what he'd done had turned into a physical ache…maybe it was possible to have pain in your mind. Jemma and Fitz busied themselves with nothing realizing the awkward moment the statement had created. Thankfully the sound of the two voices approaching the room pushed the situation aside as Daisy and May entered mid-conversation.

"Really, oatmeal?" May was actually laughing.

"It's like some weird craving." Daisy laughed back. "I just have to have some and maybe a banana."

"Guess we'll have to get some groceries…" May's comment died as they noticed the expressions on the people already in the Cage.

"What?" Both women asked in unison.

"Nothing," Coulson smiled as he stepped to greet them and the scientists exchanged quick glances before resuming their prep routines.

"Everything's fine, just running a few diagnostics before we begin." Jemma grinned without looking at Daisy.

Daisy narrowed her eyes and glanced from Coulson to Fitz and then to Jemma. 'You're still a terrible liar, Jemma Simmons.' She thought and reminded herself to have a long talk with her friend later today. May and Coulson were doing some deep 'eye-talk' as well but trying to get anything out of that would get her nowhere. She stared at them for a moment wondering if genetics would allow her in on the strange wordless conversations her parents seemed to have with each other then wondered if maybe they were actually telepaths and yeah, wouldn't that be a great ability to have. Coulson almost smiled and gave a teeny nod to which May almost smiled back and the conversation was over. Daisy quickly averted her gaze although she already knew that when they were that deep into each other they saw nothing else. She pulled a yuck face and shivered at the thought that it was some bizarre sex thing.

"Y'okay?" Coulson remarked as he rubbed his hand on her upper arm.

"Ah…yeah…yeah, sure," Daisy replied shaking off the pictures she did not need in her head. May silently laughed, and the girl thought for a moment that maybe her mother could in fact read her thoughts. She couldn't help the blush that colored her cheeks. "Woo, little hot in here today, Fitz. Huh?" She turned to the scientist as she bounced onto her usual gurney and rolled up one sleeve.

"Just a bit," Fitz answered as he too had noticed the exchange between the two senior agents.

A few minutes later the trio was ready for their next foray into the new and improved Framework a la Fitz. May's eyes drifted closed seconds before Daisy's as both relaxed into the program. Fitz bent over Coulson. "Are you sure you don't want me to…"

"No," Coulson stopped him. "No, just like we've been doing it. If things get too bad, I promise I will pull the plug from the inside. Trust me, Fitz."

The younger agent patted the man's shoulder. "Always, sir." He nodded to Jemma who tapped the screen of her tablet and Coulson drifted off to join his girls.

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 _"Yī zhī liǎng zhī zhī zhū pá ya pá chū lái  
Yǔ shuǐ luò xià lái bāng tā xǐ xǐ zǎo  
Tài yáng chū lái le zhào zhé tā shēn tǐ ya  
Yī zhī liǎng zhī zhī zhū pá ya pá chū lái"*_

Phil stopped in the hall and listened to the little voice singing the familiar tune. He did not understand the words he was sure May or William had taught the little girl who apparently was happily splashing in the bathtub while singing, but he knew that little spider was never going to make it up that pipe. Looking down at the face of the Little Mermaid on the towel he held he smiled at the thought of Daisy being fascinated by an animated princess and ignored the blast of pain that threatened to crack his skull in half. He took a step then halted wondering if Fitz or Simmons noticed anything on their readouts alerting them to his pain. A second step and then a third and fourth told him that it was not likely. They would have pulled him out if it had and anyway the more he moved the more the pain dissolved.

The bathroom door stood open just enough to let him see inside. His tiny daughter was up to her armpits in bubbles holding a floppy pink octopus over her head then dropping it into the water as she sang.

"Maybe you should sing about the itsy bitsy octopus," he suggested as he stepped into the room and placed the towel on the closed toilet lid. "That's not a spider, angel eyes." Coulson smiled as he rolled up his sleeves and dropped to his knees next to the tub.

Skye pulled the sudsy toy from under the water and examined it closely. "Her gotz eight legs." She pointed out tilting her head to one side. "Piders gots eight legs."

"Yes, they do." Phil agreed as he soaked the washcloth that matched the towel he had carried in and squeezed liquid soap into it. "You don't have a spider to sing to."

The little girl scrunched up one side of her face and squinted at her father. "Daddy, piders don't swim. They will get drownded."

"Oh," Phil's mouth formed a perfect circle as he fished a skinny leg out of the bubbles and scrubbed the knee with a little more force than necessary.

"Da-dee!" Skye protested as she pulled her leg away and splashed it back under the water. "That's my skin, you can't wash it off. I will bleed." Anger clouded the little face that looked up at him. "It not be dirt, Daddy. I gots a suntan from the pool. Member?"

"Suntan, yeah…from the sun, angel not from the pool." He mentally slapped himself for scrubbing too hard. "I'll be more careful."

"Mommy forgets too, but not Yéyé. He knows this just be my skin." She bent her leg and tapped her finger on her knee.

Coulson stifled a laugh. "I'll keep that in mind. He gently rubbed the cloth on the little girl's back and shoulders, then tickled her ear quickly washing the other when she pressed her head against her shoulder and giggled. "Gotcha!" He smiled as she covered both ears with sudsy covered hands.

"I could do it, Daddy." Skye reached up for the washrag. Bubbles ran down her arms and over her chest in long white streams. Water dripped from the cloth on to her upraised face. She immediately swiped at it with bubble covered hands caught my Phil before the little girl rubbed soap into her eyes. He gently wiped the drip away with his thumb.

"I don't know, sweet pickle. What if you miss a spot?" He put on a false pout.

Skye put her hands on her hips. "Daddy, I is not a pickle and I don't miss a spot cuz I got no spots on me."

"Hmmmm, I think I see one," he poked her belly and laughed at her giggle as she tried to shield it with both hands. "And there," he poked her side.

She pushed his hand away and scolded, "Daddy!" Then laughed in spite of her frustration.

Phil held out the wash cloth then snatched it away as she reached for it. "Five minutes," he warned. "Then I'm checking to be sure all the spots are super clean, including all those really icky ones between your toes." He let her have the cloth and wriggled his fingers at her making a snarly face. He stood and stretched his back but caught her pulling her small foot up to her face and peering between her suds covered toes. "Five minutes," he warned again holding up five fingers.

While Skye scrubbed herself alternately with collecting small plastic sea creatures and dropping them in a basket suctioned to the tile he picked up cast off clothing that included a pair of pajamas that held a strong scent of maple syrup and a pair of panties proclaiming the day as Tuesday. He dropped all of it into the hamper, screwed the top back onto the toothpaste and slipped the alligator shaped toothbrush into its holder. He shook his head recalling the same scene in Daisy's bunk on many occasions, sans the alligator toothbrush.

"Let's go Phil!" He heard May's voice call from what he assumed to be the bottom of the staircase. "We have to be there in ninety minutes."

He grabbed the towel from the toilet seat and held it open. "Okay, Skye let's go. You heard mommy. Don't want to be late." He had no idea where they were going but May sounded insistent.

Skye looked up at him and the towel and then down at the bubbles that surrounded her. She shook her head pulling the mounds of suds up over her shoulders. A small triangle of bubbles hung from her chin as she looked at him with wide eyes.

"Come on, Skye. Playtime's over." He shook the towel a little. Again the little girl shook her head and scooted toward the wall side of the tub. "Skye," Phil warned in a firmer tone.

"I want Mommy." She whimpered, pushing back as far as possible but slipping forward in the slippery suds.

"Mommy's busy, sweetie." Phil surmised as he explained why he was on tubby duty to his daughter as well as himself. He dropped the towel from one hand and reached out for her.

"No!" The little girl shot back, pulling more bubbles over herself.

"Okay, last chance." Phil warned. Skye furrowed her brow and shook her head. "Okay," Phil bent down and released the plug allowing the water to empty.

Skye let out a shriek and slid across the tub to push it back in place, but lost her grip and slid sideways exposing most of her body before righting herself and scrambling back to the far end of the bath.

"Skye, we don't have time for this today." Phil started as he reached for the little girl. He backed up quickly when the soaked washcloth she threw struck his chest, stuck for a moment then dropped with a splat to the tiled floor. The move left him speechless as he stared at the little girl who stared back with the same expression. Apparently neither could believe what had just happened. Phil looked down at the wet splotch on his shirt that was slowly dripping to his waistband then back to the little girl sitting in the now empty tub with her knees pulled up to her chest. The bubbles were slowly slipping from her little body and running toward the drain in an attempt to escape the crazy argument between father and daughter. Phil reached down and took the little girl's wrist, "that's it, Skye, we are done. Time to get out."

She slipped easily from his grip, pulling her hand back and struggling to stay in her spot in the tub. "No, no, no! I don't want to get out. I want…"

"What the hell is going on?" May demanded as she stormed into the room taking in Phil's wet clothing and the screaming child balled into the back of the tub. "I can hear you all the way down in the kitchen!"

Phil stood with the towel outstretched in his arms while Skye continued to protest exiting the bath. May pulled it from him and used it to pluck her daughter out of the tub. She stood the little girl on the floor and landed a firm swat on her backside sending stray bubbles in all directions.

"Ow!" Skye yelped throwing both hands back to ward off any additional doses of her mother's discipline. May pulled the towel around the child and grabbed a second off the rack then began rubbing her head dry.

"Mel!" Phil was shocked that she would strike their child, but knew that May was pretty much no nonsense and a lot of nonsense had transpired in the last few minutes.

"When Daddy says _out_ , it means _out_!" She shook a finger in the sniffling little girl's face then turned the same finger to him. "And if you would take a stronger hand instead of letting _her_ make all the decisions we wouldn't have this problem."

"She's just a little…" he began then stopped at May's glare.

"Change your clothes, Phil or we'll be late." May exhaled then looked down at the little girl standing in front of her. "And you…march!" She pointed toward the door. "It's time to get dressed."

Skye ran like a little burrito wrapped in her princess towel with only her face and feet sticking out. Melinda threw Phil a scowl and stormed after her. He took a step to follow but his foot never reached the floor…the pain in his head drove the world into a black hole.

xx

Skye slid a bit in the water before catching herself on the side of the tub with both hands. For a moment she fought off the déjà vu of waking in the last Framework to find Ward asleep in the next room. She felt something under her leg. It was squishy and moving. She held her breath for a moment before realizing it was only moving because the water was swishing back and forth because of her little slide into the bath. She reached under her hip and pulled the object free then laughed at the smiley pink octopus she held in her hand. She shook the bubbles off of it and watched the rubbery legs wriggle in all directions. It reminded her of a crazy spider and for some unknown reason she was compelled to sing that silly teeny weeny spider song only it didn't sound quite right. She started again and realized she was singing in another language…oh, gawd she didn't speak English! The octopus dropped into the bubbles with a splash that caused her to giggle. She fished it out of the water and sang again, this time purposefully dropping it. All eight legs splayed out as it hit the suds then sank below the surface.

There were a lot of bubbles in this tub, hell she must have used the entire bottle. Mounds of the white suds surrounded her and rose to her shoulders. Looking around she noticed how big this bathtub was, almost like a Jacuzzi of sorts.

Suddenly Coulson was standing next to it but there were enough bubbles to keep her covered and he was more interested in the spider-pus that anything else. He knelt down and started rubbing her knee with a washcloth but he was kinda rough and it hurt a little. She heard her funny little voice tell him so and almost laughed at her fractured grammar. Then thanked whoever was listening that she was speaking English, although not very well. He tickled her ears and poked her tummy but things were getting a little too personal. Somehow she managed to get the washcloth from him and convince him she could finish on her own, but he didn't give her much time before he was insisting she get out. He stood there holding a big towel but she was having none of it and let him know. Then he did the unthinkable. He pulled the plug and the very thing that was keeping her from putting on a centerfold display started slipping away. She scooped handfuls of bubbles over her very flat chest but there was no way she was getting into that towel, even when he snagged her wrist. She heard May's voice somewhere in the distance and asked, no whined for her to no avail and Coulson was starting to sound angry. She scrambled for anything to keep him at bay. Finding the washcloth wadded up behind her, she pulled it out and flung it at him…not to hurt just to keep him away. The look on his face was priceless and if the situation was different she might have laughed. Then May was there and she was way past angry, she was fuming.

If it were possible to dribble down the drain with the bubbles Daisy would have let herself go. She didn't have the chance because the towel was over her and she was on the floor in half a breath. Her front was completely covered by the cloth and before she could pull the large towel around her body May landed a stinging smack on her bare behind. She didn't even have time to be insulted and wow did that smart. She felt her bottom lip quiver and used the towel to brush the tears away while May scrubbed her dry and sent her scampering out of the room. She could hear her mother hot on her heels and hoped she had exhausted her need to show her little girl the error of her ways. Fitz had told her this was not all sunshine and rainbows, he forgot to tell her there might be thunder and lightening.

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Piper and Chen exited the large hut and joined the rest of their crew. The sun was high in the sky and the villagers had left to tend their rice crop. She tucked the small recording device into one of her pockets and let the other's know it was time to move out. They'd return to the old village before she'd press the button on her tracking device calling for extraction.

The information the old woman had given her was hearsay. There would never be a way to verify it, but why would the woman lie. It could be embellished but it didn't seem so. She had much to tell her superiors when she returned. Daisy Johnson was not her favorite person, never was but she had a whole new respect for the woman who had survived so much right from the start.

The young team leader gave a nod to her crew and they moved to the edge of the village. She followed, stopping once and nodding to Huang who stood at the entrance to his hut. His mother stood at his side.

*The Itsy Bitsy Spider children's song/fingerplay


	7. Chapter 7 - Spanks for the Memories

_I'm told I need to post a warning for this type story letting readers know it contains references to corporal punishment of a child. Now, I have been involved with children for many years and have hours of training in the Child Protection Act and Child Abuse Prevention. I totally understand that there are people who vehemently protest any sort of physical punishment. I also have children and there are times when all the talking in the world means nothing. In this story, Skye's been told over and over about what she does, Melinda has had it. If you are a parent, you will certainly understand. I certainly do not promote anyone using this type discipline as a rule or as the only means of correction. I also understand if you do not read this piece because of your beliefs. I also believe that no nonsense May would take a strong stand on this issue._

Chapter 7

Spanks for the Memories

Daisy wiped the tears from her eyes and rolled into a tight ball. She was curled up on her bed…well Skye's bed apparently from the looks of things. The room was bright with blue walls and white curtains blowing softly on the breeze that came through the screened window. There were two large wooden daisies on one wall with a tall shelf full of books between them. Every where she looked there were the things she always imagined would be in her room, if she ever had one. It was neat and clean, like she would expect May would insist it would be, no clutter or cast off clothing like in her own bunk at the base. She could hear the sounds of summer outside. Kids playing, dogs barking, birds and cars traveling up and down pavement let her know that Fitz had created the perfect environment for her new family to create memories.

So why was she crying?

She tried to stop but it was pointless. She felt…sad? No, she wasn't sad…well, maybe a little and a little angry too and guilty. Guilty? Daisy looked down at her hands, arms and the rest of her little kid body, why would she be guilty. She was a kid. What do kids have to be guilty about? Well, she could think of a few…several things she had to be guilty about as a kid but not a well adjusted, loved, with two parents, happy kid. No, this Skye would have no reason to feel guilty. Yet she felt something, something more. She was sorry…very sorry…really, really sorry and just a teeny bit scared.

'Hey, Fitz!' She thought to herself, 'these aren't such great memories.' Yeah, yeah she tolld herself again, not all memories are happy memories so she might as well just ride the tide and see where this one took her.

She laughed a sobbie kind of laugh that made her choke. In front of her was a floppy stuffed dog with long kinky hair. She reached for it, pulled it closed and hugged it tightly. Looking at its black nose and buggy eyes she was sure it was a Shi Tzu and knew its name was Ling-a-ling.

She rolled to her back and realized her distress might be caused by the smarting notice her backside sent to her brain. Reaching back to rub off the sting she recalled the scene in the bath and thought it really wasn't possible to smart like that from the one little smack May delivered. She sniffled again and sobbed into her stuffed puppy with renewed contrition.

Daisy looked down at herself a second time. She was fully dressed except for shoes. Her feet were bare and her toenails sported some funky pink sparkly nail polish. The last thing she remembered was making a mad dash out of the bathroom and…and…that damn bicycle.

'Bicycle?' Daisy, who was actually Skye in this reality, lay on her back and ignored her little reminder. 'What bicycle?' She brought her knees up and rested her feet on the duvet. 'I don't even have a bicycle, do I?' Her head was tingling with thoughts as much as her bottom was tingling with…with…oh, yeah…the bicycle.

She remembered. She just had to have that bicycle, the blue one with the streamers on the handle bars and that white basket. Yeah, that white basket…Ling-a-ling fit in that basket just perfectly and she had to have it and May was standing in her way. She simply refused to let her have that bicycle and it was hers, they gave it to her on her birthday and she wanted it ' _now_ '.

"I said, no, Skye." Melinda repeated without turning from her task of stacking dishes in the kitchen cabinet. Skye stood next to her with a determined pout on her face.

"Why not?" The little girl whined, stomping one foot and throwing her head back dramatically.

"You know why," Melinda turned and put her hands on her hips, glaring down at the child. "Two more days and if you keep it up it will be four."

"Mommy, I want my bike." The little girl growled weakly.

"Six," Melinda answered as she moved to another cabinet and place two mugs inside.

Skye crossed her arms over her chest and slid down the lower cabinet to plop on the floor. She criss-crossed her legs and let out a huff. "If Daddy was here, he'd let me have it." She grumbled.

"Not, if I had a say in it." Melinda answered as she moved to continue her chores.

"You're mean!" Skye shot back.

"I'm a mother…it's part of my job." Melinda shrugged.

Skye shot out her legs and dropped her arms to her sides. She slid her head back until the top touched the cabinet at her back. "I just need my bike, Mommy. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeez?"

Melinda squatted down next her daughter and tapped the end of nose. "I said, no, Skye and no means no."

"Humph!" Skye just as quickly resumed her former position as her mother stood. She opened her mouth to continue but was stopped by her mother's glare.

"One more word and you spend the afternoon in your room." Melinda warned. Skye let out a defeated breath. "Good girl," Melinda smiled and tousled the girl's hair. "I've got some laundry to finish, how 'bout you run upstairs and grab that little basket in your room for me. Be a big help." She turned before Skye could answer and opened the basement door.

' _That's_ what started this,' Daisy thought as she stared at the small white basket jutting out from behind the bedroom door. 'That _damn_ bicycle…and I guess I never made it to the basket either.'

The memory flooded back….

'Fine,' Skye ( _or was she Daisy now?_ ) thought as she pouted on the kitchen floor. 'If she won't give me my bike I will get it myself.'

( _Daisy wasn't sure who was doing the thinking or perhaps grownup Daisy was melding into kid-Skye cuz their thought patterns were pretty much the same and that could get very dangerous._ )

Skye looked up from her spot on the floor. She knew where her parents kept the key for the storage shed. Heck she could see it there. It hung on a hook high on the last cabinet near the door. If she pushed a chair close enough she could probably just reach it, but mommy would hear the chair scraping on the floor and she'd want to know what she was doing. Those chairs were big and heavy she couldn't carry one. Skye looked around the room, searching for an idea for something… There was a broom in the utility closet. That might work. She pushed herself up to stand, tiptoed to the closet and pulled out the item. It was a great idea but she couldn't maneuver it enough to slip the ring over the hook and if she turned it upside down so the bristles were on top, well it was just too top-heavy. Skye let out a disgusted sigh and dragged the broom back to the closet then pushed it into its spot.

"Ouch," the little girl yelped as a long handle slid forward and knocked her on the head. She grabbed it with one hand and rubbed her head with the other. Skye pulled the thing free and stared at it. "What the heck is this?" She wondered out loud. The stick itself was not much taller than she was and it had some kind of grabby thing on one end and a handle on the other. She turned it and squeezed the handle making the pincher thing open and close.

Skye smiled. This was great thing. It was a great thing for grabbing stuff you couldn't reach, like stuff under the bed or on the top shelf in the closet or the cookies mommy put up high so she couldn't eat them before supper. This was a great thing and why didn't anyone ever show it to her or use it for anything? She squeezed it again and then again giggling at how it looked like a freaky robot arm. That sent a shiver through her and she almost dropped it, then realized it was just a thing and she was the one controlling it.

"Wait a minute…" Skye smiled as she turned and looked up at the elusive key. "You are just what I ordered." She whispered to the grabby thing. Resting the long handle over her shoulder she skipped across the kitchen to stand under the key hook and reached up as high as she could with the thing. "Damn!" She said out loud, then quickly covered her mouth and spun around to be sure mommy wasn't standing behind her. It was silly ( _Daisy thought_ ) to be more afraid of Melinda hearing a swear word than being caught trying to lift the key, but hey she was just a kid.

"Skye! How 'bout the basket?" Melinda's voice came from the base of the stairs causing the little girl to jump.

Skye froze, caught her breath and let out a puff of air. "Okay…I…I…just have to go to the bathroom first." She called back from where she stood.

"Okay, few minutes before the load starts and I want to put all the whites in first." She could tell by her mother's voice that she was walking away…back into the laundry room.

The bathroom…yes, the bathroom! Skye smiled at her own ingenuity. There was a small step stool in the hall powder room that her parents put there so she could reach the sink to wash her hands. It was perfect! It was just what she needed. She ran to the rest room not caring at all that Melinda would hear her pounding across the floor and issue a stern reminder about running in the house. She pulled the stool from its place under the sink and dashed back to the kitchen on her tiptoes.

Perfect! The stool was just the right height and with the grabby thing she had the keys in her hand in no time. She shoved them into her shorts pocket and hurried to push the grabber back to the darkest corner of the closet…right where she found it then raced outside to the shed.

Once there she was so excited she dropped the keys twice and had to fumble with three separate ones to find the key that opened the lock. Of course, it was the last one but there it was…her prize…her beautiful blue bicycle. She threw her leg over the seat, kicked off the stand and peddled to freedom, smiling ear to ear.

xx

Phil's foot hit the carpeted hallway. He fell forward stretching out his arms to stop himself from crashing headlong into the wall. He wavered a few seconds gaining his balance and his bearings before he registered the sound that came from the room a few feet away. Someone was crying.

Looking back over his shoulder he could see into the bathroom where he had stood a few seconds ago…or what he thought was a few seconds ago. He looked down at his shirt and felt for the wet splotch that was there. Not only was it completely dry, it was an entirely different shirt _and_ tie. He was sure he was not wearing a tie when he attempted to get his tiny daughter out of that tub. What was all that anyway?

'Crap!' Phil thought as he smacked his palm to his forehead. Skye…Daisy…of course she wouldn't let him take her out of the tub. _That's_ why she wanted May. But she was just a little girl and he was her father and, _wait_ a minute…could Daisy be…no…oh, _that_ would explain a lot. May said she was remembering things most people just forget about over time. Heck, he had no recollection of his own mother bathing him or plucking him out of the tub but he was sure she must have done it hundreds of times.

He turned, intending to go back and apologize, to tell May that maybe she should be in charge of bath time from now on…but someone was crying.

Phil turned back and took a few steps toward the semi-open door. He stood for a moment to be sure and listened to the pitiful sobs coming from the little girl curled up on the bed. He pushed the door open and stepped inside. Of course it was Skye. It had to be. She was a bit bigger. It was a lot longer than a few seconds since the tub incident so she certainly wasn't crying over that fiasco.

"Hey, what's up buttercup?" He asked softly as he sat on the edge of her bed. She stopped crying for a second and he expected her to turn around but she just took a breath and cried harder. "Hey, hey, hey," he whispered as he reached down and pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on top of her head. "It can't be that bad." He crooned. She sobbed again and nodded her head. Phil reached back and pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket. He used it to wipe her eyes and nose then put a finger under her chin and raised her face up to look at him. He smiled and wiped more errant tears. "Tell, Daddy what has you so upset."

Skye squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head before lapsing into another round of sobs. He wrapped her tighter and rocked a bit, letting her cry it out. After a few minutes the sobs turned to whimpers and hiccoughs. Skye took a few shaky breaths and played with the hair of the stuffed dog she held.

"Better?" Coulson smiled as he wiped her tears again. She shook her head and squeezed out a few more. "I can't imagine what has you so upset, sweet pickle." She hiccoughed a tiny smile at the term.

"I'm…not…a…pickle." She stammered their token answer through her whimpers.

Phil hugged her closer and asked again. "Then what's got you so sad, hmmm?" He waited for an answer that didn't come quickly. Skye simply rested her head against his chest and looked blankly across the room. He jiggled her a little urging her to reply.

The little girl took a deep breath and sobbed, "Mommy spanked me. She really did…really." With that she started crying all over, just as hard as before.

Phil smiled at his daughter's dramatics. "Oh, Skye I know sometimes mommy might give you a little swat but since when do you carry on like this?"

Skye sat back and looked up at her father. "No, daddy," she shook her head. "She didn't swat me she really and truly and really spanked me…like real." It was hard to understand all the words since she was crying so much but he got the picture. She fell back against his chest and continued sobbing. He continued rocking.

"Why, Skye," Phil asked softly, resting his cheek against her head. "What happened?" The little girl simply shrugged her shoulders. Phil sat up straight and pushed her away in order to look her in the eye. "Skye, I know mommy would never punish you without a reason." Skye averted her eyes and tried to escape back into his embrace. When that didn't work she just shrugged again and sobbed harder. Phil pulled her back and shushed her quietly.

"She knows exactly what she did." Melinda's voice came from the doorway. Phil looked up at his wife and immediately sensed the tension. "Maybe if you didn't coddle her so much she wouldn't be in so much trouble." She marched across the room and gently took the little girl from Phil's lap. The stuffed dog fell to the floor.

Skye wrapped herself around her mother and buried her face in her neck. "Nǐ zhīdào wǒ fēicháng ài nǐ, jíshǐ nǐ shì wánpí de. Jíshǐ wǒ gěi nǐ dǎ pìgu. Nǐ háishì wǒ kě'ài de xiǎo nǚhái, yǒngyuǎn." Melinda spoke softly to the child, reassuring her that she loved her even when she was naughty, even when she punished her. She would always be her sweet child. She would always be loved. She laid the little girl back on the bed, took the stuffed puppy from Phil and placed it in her arms. Skye took a shaky breath and let out a few more sobs as she took it. Melinda kissed her forehead.

"You stay here. Daddy and I need to talk." Melinda turned and walked toward the door. Phil squeezed the little girl's hand and followed.

Skye rolled over and cried silently into her pillow. It wasn't the spanking that had her so upset it was the 'everything' that had happened and she didn't really know how to explain that.

xx

Phil pulled the door closed and turned almost crashing into Melinda who stood just a few inches away. She turned into him and for the second time in a few minutes one of his girls was crying into his chest.

"Oh my god, Phil…we almost lost her…" she wept quietly into his shirt. He wasn't even sure he understood the words and couldn't for the life of him imagine what could have gone on in the short amount of time he had been away. Taking her hand he led her away from their daughter's door and down the stairs.

By the time they reached the kitchen Melinda had composed herself, relived the events of the afternoon and stood by her decision to discipline her child.

Phil turned and recognized the look in his wife's eyes. "You _spanked_ her, really Mel…spanked her?"

Melinda crossed her arms over her chest and prepared herself for the argument she knew was coming. "Bare bottom and all," she answered.

Phil took a deep breath and turned away then spun back grimacing. "Really? Was that necessary?"

"Necessary? _Necessary_. Yes, Phil, in _this_ case it was very necessary." She shot back.

He threw his hands in the air then let them drop. "You couldn't just talk to her, send her to her room?"

"Talk? We've talked to her enough, Phil. We've talked and talked. Apparently, she wasn't listening. It doesn't seem to be getting through and sending her to her room is more punishment for me than it is for her. You don't have to listen to her whining all the while she's there. No, Phillip, this time she needed to know she had crossed the line."

"Crossed the line?" His voice actually squeaked. "Damn it, Melinda, she's eight years old, what kind of line could she possibly cross?"

"There it is, finally." She let out a steamy breath through her nose.

"There what is?" He spewed back.

"You finally want to know what your little angel did to deserve a sore bottom?"

"I cannot believe you actually beat our child." He pressed a hand to his head and took a deep breath.

"Oh, come on, Phil. I _did not_ beat our child and you know it. It's a far cry from a couple slaps on the backside to a beating. There's not a mark on her. Go check!" She pointed toward the ceiling.

"Like, she'd let me!" He yelled back.

"Then you'll just have to take my word for it, won't you?" She turned and mumbled in Mandarin about how much nerve he had and how he would have handled things had he been here and how much she wanted to just smack him upside the head for being so permissive in the first place. Her parents never had this kind of disagreement. If she stepped out of line she paid the price. "Tell me your parents never took you over their knee because mine sure did and I turned out just fine!"

He thought of a million comebacks and swallowed every one, knowing it would turn this argument into a raging battle. The he thought about his own childhood, something he rarely did. "Well, once or twice," he shrugged. "But that doesn't mean I condone it. Spanking is just…just barbaric!"

"And sometimes the only way to get through to a headstrong little girl like we are raising!" Melinda growled.

"She's just a little girl. She's still learning. She makes mistakes." Phil bellowed.

Melinda poked a finger at her partner. "I am more than willing to let her stub her toe to learn a lesson, but I will be damned if I let her break her neck because of a mistake. Or would you rather that we both cry so that she never has to learn a hard lesson?"

Phil turned away and stared out the window, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

"That damn bicycle Phil, it was that damn bicycle." Melinda spoke through her teeth.

"She can't have it until Sunday." He spoke without turning around.

"She can't have it _ever_." She shot back and he spun to challenge her. "There's not enough left of it." She finished.

"What do you mean? What did you do?" He spat.

"What did _I_ do? What did _I do_?" Melinda pointed at herself and marched to meet him face to face.

xx

"Skye, how 'bout the basket…" Melinda sighed as she stepped from the basement stairs to the kitchen. Silence met her and she looked from side to side for the little girl she had left sitting on the floor. "Skye!" She called heading for the staircase that led to the second floor then shook her head as she noticed the back door slightly ajar. "Guess she found something else to do," she smiled as she stepped toward the door almost tripping over the blue plastic stepstool next to the tall cabinet. "What in…" She looked up and took in a quick breath noticing the missing key. Turning quickly she grabbed the doorknob. "SK…" the word fell from her lips as she caught the sight of her daughter just at the end of the patio, heading down the driveway _on her bike._

Melinda opened the door and screamed the child's name to no avail. She hesitated for a moment realizing it would be faster to run through the house than around it. Slamming the door behind her she raced to the front entryway and pulled open the door.

The screeching of tires, blaring of horns and one shrill scream stopped her cold.

xx

"Apparently, I…no _WE_ , _WE_ didn't do enough." Melinda growled back at Phil.

Phil stopped, pursed his lips and folded his arms over his chest. "I have no idea what the _HELL_ you're talking about!"

"No, no you don't because that's all you want to do is talk. Talk to her…explain things to her…she'll understand…she'll know what we expect and she'll comply…" Melinda paced back and forth throwing her arms in the air. "She's not some damned robot Phil. You can't just program her!" She stopped and poked him in the chest with each word. "Damn it, Phil she is a child. She doesn't think like we do. She does not understand the way you expect her to!"

"So you have to hurt her?" He fired back.

"I did not spank her to hurt her!" May screamed.

"And you think that didn't hurt?" Phil demanded.

"Of course it did, of course I know it. You think it didn't hurt me? You think I didn't cry just as much as she did? I'm not a monster, Phil. I wanted her to learn a lesson and yes, sometimes lessons have to hurt. Hard lessons hurt, Phil." Her voice was softer but the anger still lingered.

"What happened with the bike?" He breathed, trying to contain his own ire. "I thought we agreed one whole week."

"Apparently, Skye disagreed." She breathed as well. "She pestered me all day to let her have the damn thing and I absolutely refused. Our intrepid young lady took it upon herself to liberate the vehicle on her own." She nodded toward the empty hook and overturned stepstool.

"You punished her for that?" He was indignant, anger brewing renewed.

"No, Phil. I did not." Melinda fumed. "But, if you took a heavier hand with her the last three times we took the bike away maybe this wouldn't have happened." Her anger simmered on a back burner. "Three times, Phil. Three times we sat her down and _talked_ to her about flying down that driveway and out into the street." She nodded toward the window that faced the driveway. "Three times we took that damn bike away. Three times you _explained_ to her how dangerous it was. Three times you _told_ her how upset we would be if she were to get hurt. _Three times_ , Phil. THREE TIMES!" She held up three fingers and shook them at him.

"What did you expect me to do?" He barked as he pushed her hand aside. "I sent her to her room, grounded her…"

Melinda let out a disgusted grunt, "for what an hour?" Before he could respond she continued. "The first time she didn't know any better. The second time, okay she forgot or it was a mistake. But three times…no make that four times? What does that make, Phil? What do we call that? An error? An experiment? A test? Well she failed. We all did."

"She did it again?" Phil asked a bit harsher than intended.

Melinda nodded, squeezing her eyes shut to block out the memory. "Without a helmet…again."

xx

Skye sat at her bedroom window and looked at the mangled metal that was once her beautiful blue bicycle. The man in the red car had carried it there and dropped it right where her mommy had pointed before she marched her into the house and up to her bedroom.

Daisy didn't remember the bike getting crushed but she remembered it slipping out from under her. She remembered rolling across the pavement and jumping up in front of the red car that blew its horn so loud that she just covered her ears and shut her eyes. Somebody pulled her across the street and they both fell into the grassy part of the corner. When she opened her eyes there was a black lady with orange and purple earrings that bobbled up and down, helping her to her feet and asking if she was okay.

Everything happened so fast after that. Everyone was crowding around her and asking so many questions and she was so scared. She could feel her heart thumping against her chest and then…then mommy was there and she was hugging her and kissing her and checking all over her body to be sure she was not hurt. Mommy thanked the lady with the crazy earrings and calmed the man who ran over her bicycle. Ling-a-ling's perfect plastic basket was mostly little white pieces strewn all over the road. The man pulled the bike from under the car and everyone looked at the dent in the bumper. The man told mommy not to worry about it. He was glad her little girl was not hurt. Everyone talked for a little bit and then the man put the bike in the yard. Everyone got in their cars and drove away. The earring lady said goodbye and walked down the street toward the bus stop.

Daisy remembered Melinda holding her hand way too tightly. "You will never, _ever_ do anything like that again, Skye. Never!" Then she walked way too fast and pulled her way too hard as they went into the house. She even slammed the door. Melinda never slammed the door.

Skye squeezed the tears out of her eyes and used her daddy's handkerchief to wipe them away. She could hear her parents fighting. They were in the kitchen, but they were very loud. She was really scared. Sometimes they disagreed about things and got loud, but never like this and she was the reason they were so angry. The little girl lowered her head to the window sill and cried even though she was sure she had no tears left.

xx

"Fine, I will get rid of the bicycle." Phil said in a disgusted huff. "Is that heavy handed enough for you?"

"You don't have to, it's already trashed." She sneered.

"How…" He started.

"She took the bike out of the shed and went right back down that driveway…right into the street." Melinda stood at the window and allowed the pictures to play in her mind's eye. "I heard the tires, the horns…and I was too late."

"What?" His voice was soft. He knew Skye was safe. He'd just talked to her.

"She must have dropped the bike. The car crushed it and some woman walking to the bus stop pulled her out of the path of the second car." She shook her head trying to put it all together. "It could have been her Phil. She could be hurt…or dead." She turned to him and brushed the tears aside. "So yes, I took her to her room and I bared her backside and paddled her until I knew she would know beyond the shadow of a doubt that she was never to anything so dangerous again."

"Melinda…I…" suddenly Phil was speechless.

"I would never, _ever_ , hurt our child, Phil but I will not stand by and allow her to put herself in any situation that might, even the slightest chance, might put her in such jeopardy." She spoke through her teeth, blinking the tears from her eyes. "I will have her cry over a smarting backside than stand next to her grave drowning in my own tears. I would never survive that and neither would you."

"Still, Mel…there are other ways," he sighed.

"She's a child, Phil. She thinks she's invincible, unbreakable. She doesn't understand mortality." Melinda fired.

"But she understands her mother taking out her anger on her unprotected backside?" Phil shot back.

"I did not punish her in anger, Phil. I know better than that."

"You just said you marched her upstairs and walloped the daylights out of her."

"I neither said nor did no such thing!" Melinda fumed.

"Well that's what I heard." Phil growled.

Melinda stood directly in front of her partner, looking up at him. "I did not leave a mark on her but I won't even think about what a ten ton hunk of moving steel would have done to that little body." She took a deep breath. "You don't know what you would have done, because you weren't there. It's easy to stand here and tell me all about talking and explaining and reasoning, but I would bet my last breath that you would have done the same thing."

"I can't see myself doing that," Phil shook his head.

"I certainly hope the day never comes that you do." Melinda breathed.

xx

Skye couldn't take it any more. She knew mommy had told her to stay in her room but the sounds of the argument were getting worse. She opened the door and listened. She didn't really know what they were saying but they were yelling at one another. Slowly she crept to the top of the stairs. The words were clearer here. Daddy was mad that mommy punished her. That didn't make sense because she had been way past naughty, she had been down right awful. She stole the key and did everything mommy told her not to do.

She slipped down a few steps to where the banister and railing fell away from the wall and she could see into the living room. Now the words were very clear. Mommy was angry too, angry that daddy hadn't been tougher with her when she did it the last time. They were yelling a lot, maybe they wouldn't like each other any more if they kept it up. At school two of the kids that were the bestest friends had a fight in the cafeteria and now they didn't even talk to one another. Skye swallowed the fear of one of her parents not talking to the other. What if one of them left? What if they both did? What if she had no parents? ( _Daisy felt the familiar pang of loneliness_.)

Skye knew she had to do something. She had to make them stop. It was all her fault. She was at the bottom of the stairs before she realized she was moving. Slowly she inched her way to the kitchen archway and watched as her parents bellowed at each other.

"Mommy?" Skye called out quietly, but was not heard. "Daddy?" She wiped a tear from her eye when he did not turn toward her voice.

Maybe it was too late. Maybe she couldn't fix it after all. Maybe they were too broken and it was all her fault because she just wanted that dumb bicycle. She tried calling their names again with the same result. They didn't even know she was watching. They were too angry.

The scream that echoed through the May-Coulson home rattled everything rattle-able. A little girl stood in the kitchen archway, hands clenched at her side, red-faced and opened mouth giving a screech louder than she had ever given in her lifetime.

Melinda and Phil jumped at the sound, stopped mid-thought and rushed to their daughter. They both dropped to their knees in front of her reaching out to the little girl. Phil grabbed her shoulders as May took her hands.

"Skye!" they exclaimed together.

"What is it, baobei, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong, sweetie?"

The siren stopped and Skye breathed rapid little breaths as she looked from one parent to the other. "Stop…please stop fighting…please." She threw her arms around both their necks. "It's okay, daddy. Mommy didn't hurt me. I was very bad. I'm sorry, mommy. Don't be mad at daddy. I don't want a bike. I don't need one. I won't do it again, daddy. Please don't be mad at mommy. I love you, daddy. I love you, mommy. I will be good. I won't do anything. Please don't be mad. Please stop." Skye rambled between kissing each parent's forehead over and over.

Phil and Melinda looked at each other and stood. Phil brought his daughter with him and held her close. Melinda wrapped her arms around them both. "Okay, angel eyes. We're okay. We're all okay." Skye rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped an arm around her mother's neck.

"Don't cry, baobei. Daddy and mommy are just upset. It's all over." Melinda whispered.

Skye wriggle herself free and slid to the floor. Phil wrapped an arm around Melinda's shoulders and pulled her close. "I took the key, daddy. I got my bike even when mommy said no, cuz I just wanted it." She looked down at her bare feet and wriggled her toes. "It was wrong, I know, but I did it anyway." She peeked up at him and waited, but he said nothing. "I rode fast down the driveway cuz I love the bump at the end and I went into the street and the cars came and all the people were yelling. Mommy screamed and she was so mad. I knew she was mad, but I was really bad, daddy, really bad. I stole the key and took the bike even when she said no and I zoomed down the driveway even after you told me not to, even when you said it was so dangerous to go in the street without looking and I didn't wear my helmet either." Skye shook her head but did not look up at her parents.

Phil slipped his arm from May and crouched down in front of Skye. "Why, Skye, why did you do all that?" The little girl shrugged her shoulders. He put a finger under her chin and raised her head up to look at her. He raised his eyebrows asking the question again.

Skye took a deep breath. "I just really wanted to, I guess." She frowned.

He let out a breath and frowned as well, for a fleeting moment he understood May's decision. Phil stood and took his little girl's gaze with him. "Maybe you should think more about what you want to do before you do it."

Skye blinked a few times. "That's kinda hard to do sometimes, cuz I want to do something more than I want to think about it. Wanting is stronger than thinking, daddy." She scrunched up one side of her face. ( _'You said it kid,' Daisy smiled inwardly, knowing it was getting harder and harder to keep her thoughts separate from Skye's_ ) The little girl's face began to flush. "It's okay that mommy spanked me, daddy. I think I really deserved it." She thought for a moment about something mommy had said "I got no marks, daddy. Wanna see?" She hooked her thumbs in her waistband.

Phil grabbed her hands and shook his head. "No, sweetie, no. I believe you and mommy."

"Are you mad at me, daddy?" Skye asked quietly, watching again as her toes wriggled. The seconds ticked by loudly.

Phil let out a long breath and crossed his arms over his chest. He glared down at the little head that would not look up. "I think I am, Skye. I'm angry that you stole and you disobeyed and you scared mommy…and me…very badly."

Skye swallowed hard and brushed away the tears that threatened to fall. "Are…are…are you gonna spank me too?"

"Hmmmm," Phil pretended to be deep in thought. She peeked up at him. Melinda watched the exchange without interrupting. "I probably should…" Skye took a quick breath and reached out her hand.

"Okay…" she replied trying not to let her sob escape.

Phil looked at Melinda and gave a quick wink. He took Skye's hand, pulled out a chair from the table and sat down pulling her close to him. He placed his hands on her hips and lifted her onto his lap, wrapped an arm around her and held her close. "I probably should, but I think mommy took care of that and we all need to just remember and then move on. As long as you promise not to forget. What do you think?"

Skye looked up and smiled. She brushed away the tears rolling down her cheeks and looked up at May. "I think it still stings just a little bit, but I won't forget." She shook her head and May laughed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

May opened her eyes and realized the laughter she heard was her own. She blinked twice and coughed before sitting up.

"Welcome back, Agent May." Jemma smiled. "Making some happy memories, I presume."

May simply smiled and gave a cut nod as the young doctor helped her to her feet. Coulson was stirring as well and pulled himself up a bit before dropping back and squeezing his eyes tightly shut. Jemma stepped to his side and checked the screens that showed each participant's vitals. Everything looked normal. She and Fitz had worked most of the day trying to find the source of Coulson's headaches and come up blank. Clearly the man was suffering. May moved closer, concerned with her good friend's pain.

Jemma spritzed a liquid from the tip of a hypodermic needle and nodded to Fitz who rolled the man forward and lowered his waist band a few inches. "I'm sorry, sir." Jemma cringed as she injected him. Fitz allowed him to roll back and May moved to his side.

A few minutes later, Phil lowered his arm and opened his eyes. The pain was gone. He pulled himself forward and smiled at the growl on May's face. Before she could scold him the girl in the next bed sighed and blinked her eyes open. May turned and faced her. Daisy looked up at her and felt a quick flush on her cheeks, which she really couldn't explain.

"Everything okay?" Daisy asked hoarsely feeling the tension in the room. She peered around May and smiled at Coulson who pulled himself to stand next to his partner.

"S'all good," he smiled back at her as he reached out a hand to help her up.

The girl cringed as she sat at the edge of the mattress. She stood and rubbed her backside with both hands as she turned and stared at the small bed. "Maybe we could consider a new mattress for this one, Fitz. It's a little…little…uncomfortable." She rubbed her posterior again.

May side-glanced up at Coulson who grinned back knowingly. Daisy bent over, lifted the mattress on the gurney and peered beneath it then slid her hand under, searching for the source of her discomfort. Melinda winked at Phil before giving the girl's bottom a gentle tap.

"Hey!" Daisy protested as if she'd been stung and spun around to face May. A weird memory flashed behind her eyes. May raised an eyebrow and nodded with a hidden grin.

"There's nothing wrong with the mattress," she hissed. "They're brand new. Remember?"

"Uh huh," Daisy nodded still holding her hands behind her back.

A soft rap on the door interrupted their reminiscing. Simmons released the air lock and a young agent stepped inside. "Agent Piper's back, ma'am. She's got something you all need to see."


	8. Chapter 8 - Some Memories Never Die

**Chapter 8**

 **Some Memories Never Die**

Jemma turned to the senior agents holding up a hand and nodding toward Fitz. "I really feel that it would be best if we handle this alone…for now. Depending on the outcome of Agent Piper's investigation, I will share what I feel is most helpful." Coulson stepped forward but she stopped him before he could speak. "I'm sorry sir, but that is how I am going to handle this. For now this information is classified. After, Fitz and I review it, we will speak with all of you." The young woman gave a curt nod and motioned for Fitz to accompany her.

Coulson felt a surge of pride in his young agent. Jemma Simmons had come a very long way from the first day she carried all of her bag and baggage onto the Bus. He'd always think of her as a kid, heck he'd always think of the three of them as kids, but yes she'd come a long way. They all had.

"Now what was that all about?" May wondered as she stepped behind him and watched the two young scientists walk down the corridor. She turned back eyeing Daisy who merely shrugged.

"I think, I'm hungry." Daisy stated placing a hand on her stomach. She looked up at the clock. "Never got that pizza the other night, sounds good, huh?" She waited for her parents to react. "I'll order whatever you like." She offered, hoping they'd agree and wondering why it mattered to her so very much.

"Sure, whatever you want." Coulson agreed absent mindedly still watching the now empty hall.

Daisy watched him for a moment, slightly concerned and mostly confused by his actions then stepped around him. "Okay, I'll make the call and let you know when it's here. Any requests?" She asked as she walked backward away from them. May shook her head still looking up at Coulson.

As soon as Daisy was out of earshot, May pulled Coulson back into the room. She spun him toward her and stared into his eyes.

"What?" He grimaced.

"It's your head again, isn't it?" She snarled.

"What? No." Phil shook his head, unwilling to share with May that the pain was not unrelenting.

She glared at him, knowing he was lying. Damn it, he was looking right in her eyes and lying.

"What do you remember about Paris, May?" Phil asked as he turned away from her.

"If you don't say som… What?" He took her off guard. "Paris? What about Paris? When?"

He turned and just looked over his brow at her, a sly smile creeping across his face.

"Paris. That's your comeback. Paris?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yes, May. What do you remember about that night?" He rubbed his temple, although the real pain bored into the top of his skull. He had an odd fear of touching the spot, afraid that he would actually feel it throbbing.

May stopped, simply staring at the man and wondering what the hell he was doing and why after all this time bringing up something they had never, _ever_ discussed. "I don't remember anything Phil, we were too drunk."

He smiled and shook his head. He did remember. He remembered the little café. He even remembered the waitress's name…Jordi. It was an odd name and it stuck in his memory, made him think of that space trekkie show he'd watched as a young agent. He remembered the lights of the city and how they seemed like stars against the autumn sky. He remembered May's white blouse fluttering in the soft breeze.

It began as just two friends letting off steam after a not-so-tough mission. They'd actually finished a day early and being young, decided to take some time for themselves. They'd walked the city touring all the usual places and ending up at the top of the Eiffel Tower just as the lights of the evening ignited. They'd walked to the little café on the Champs-Élysées and ordered champagne, French Champagne. He didn't recall the name, it didn't really matter, he was sharing it with Melinda May.

They finished the bottle and just sat...talking…enjoying each other's company. She told him about her decision to join the agency, how her mother hated the idea. He told her about his collection of early SSD items and his fascination with the history of all of them. They laughed and ordered another bottle, finishing it with several toasts that the couple at the next table happily joined with them. The couple was newly wed, celebrating their honeymoon in the City of Lights and for some reason they assumed Phil and Melinda were doing the same. Phil thought, for the same reason, he didn't correct them.

It was almost midnight when they started walking…just walking…not even talking…just walking and enjoying the lights, the stars, the time they were given to share in quiet peace. It wasn't even a conscious decision to walk into the Hotel Galileo. It just happened. Next thing he knew he was holding the key to room five seventy two.

Phil remembered stepping into the elevator. He remembered holding her hand and watching the numbers light up on the panel above the door. He remembered pulling her close and kissing her. She kissed him back.

Something far away told him to stop…that this was a mistake…that it could change everything. Their friendship was at stake, but he loved her…loved her from the first time she knocked him on his ass in self-defense class at the academy. They'd branched off into their own disciplines…her to specialist…him to ops…but still they stayed in contact and were partnered more often than not. If Fury was to find out about this they'd both be on report, probably spent six months behind a desk pushing paper and creating red tape.

Something deeper told him not to let go…to take this chance…to love her…even if it were just this once…just this night…just now. He knew she felt the same…she had to…she must. She was just as passionate, kissing him as fervently as he did her. He could barely turn the key in the lock and once inside they quickly passed kissing, peeling off their clothing and each other's as they danced across the room to the large bed and then dropping onto it. For a half second he considered protection then forgot the idea of it as they sailed into oblivion and joined their fervor into the climax that left them exhausted…then started again.

Phil could not turn around…could not face the woman he still loved dearly…the woman he missed every day although she was never more than a few feet from him. The woman he almost lost to that demonic android and still could not tell her…couldn't tell her how much she meant to him. How could he? He'd been so enamored with Robo-May that sometimes he was ashamed to look at her now.

And then…then Skye….Daisy…their child…the child they buried so long ago in the subtropical summer of Hunan…in the dark of night…and never told a soul…never spoke of it…never grieved their loss or… All these memories, these not real memories, they were creating…was it even fair? But Daisy was worth it…their beautiful child who had spent a life time of loneliness, wishing for the love of parents…family…safety.

Yeah, it was worth it, even if the price was this damn banging headache.

May watched her partner…her colleague wrestling with his thoughts and let her own memories flood her own mind. Remembering was something uncommon to Melinda May…something she put even ounce of strength into avoiding. It brought back things that could not be changed, things that ripped her soul from her body, crushed it like tissue paper and tacked it back where it should be. It hung there but served no purpose. The dark swallowed the light and if there were happy memories they'd been flattened but all the others.

She'd lost her child…her baby…her daughter before she had a chance to love her. Oh, she loved that little speck of life from the moment the doctor confirmed her pregnancy. She loved every kick and wriggle. She could barely contain the expectation of holding that tiny being in her arms and covering her (or him) with kisses. But fate had seen to robbing her of that. The baby she held was cold and bluish gray. She couldn't even bring herself to cry that night. The shock of it took weeks to wear off and then she cried for days, inconsolable…alone. She refused anything Phil had to say or offer then went back to work and forced herself to forget…to forget the little person she never got to love.

So thinking about that night in Paris, only served to take her down that road…the road to Hunan where the nightmare began. She blamed herself. If she had said no to Fury that day…if she refused…if she did as she had planned and stayed back but she gave in thinking she'd have at least six more weeks before she'd need to be concerned. She'd been wrong and she'd killed her child. Yes, she killed her…but she didn't. Daisy was alive. Someone else gave her that name…a monster. Parents are supposed to protect their child from monsters…monsters under the bed and in the closet…monsters in silly movies and Halloween masks…parents were supposed to tell their children monsters weren't real and everything was okay. But monsters did exist and one took her baby just to hand her to an even worse one. Somehow fate had rescued her little girl from those horrid creatures but only to drop her into a life with a mother to hold her and love her and protect her from all the pain she dealt with on her own. Yes, SHIELD had protected her all her life, but it should have been Melinda May.

Melinda May who resented the young hacker who Coulson pulled onto the Bus just four years ago. She hadn't trusted Skye and would have done whatever it took to drop her at the first place they landed…even Peru. But Phil saw something in the kid and she could not bring herself to hurt him. When Skye betrayed them with that Miles bastard she wanted to throttle the kid within an inch of her life, instead she took out two punching bags. Then the intrepid young girl put herself in jeopardy for the first of many times to rescue Phil from that maniac in the flowered dress. When May saw Skye decked out in a black leather jacket, hair slicked back and Aviator glasses she couldn't help smiling. It wasn't long before she realized that the young girl wanted nothing more than to emulate everything she did. May would be lying if she said it didn't fill her with emotion…emotion she kept well hidden.

Skye became Daisy and Daisy became Quake and she survived Hive then ran from everyone that cared about her. But now she was home…they were all home…and Daisy was the baby that lived…lived with her the last four years. So maybe remembering Paris…after all this time wasn't so bad.

Paris…so long ago…she hadn't wanted to do anything more than pack her things and return to base but Phil Coulson had other plans. He talked her into a walking tour of the city. "We've got a whole day to ourselves. This might never happen again." He smiled that goofy smile that melted her heart…although she never told him that and what the hell, he was right. They deserved some time off. If they went back to base they'd be off on a new mission within twenty-four hours. So a walking tour of Paris was a great idea even though she'd seen the city more than a dozen times before she turned twelve. He purchased one of those self-guided tour maps and they set off. She let him get lost, but not so lost she couldn't find her way back to where he wanted to be. They did cheat, using the subway and a few buses to get to places that were just too far to amble off to on foot. They bought lunch and sat in a park eating it. They talked, not about missions and training and work, but about nothing…about the weather and how much they hated flying economy and how different the culture here in this part of the world differed from their own.

He insisted on showing her the city from the top of the Eiffel Tower. She'd been to the top a number of times with her parents and a few French suitors when she was a teen. That he didn't need to know. They did go and it amazed her how much more beautiful the lights of the city looked with her goofy partner at her side. He looked at her with such intensity that it was hard to look back, not that she didn't want to, it was just hard. She'd been there were other much younger men when she was a much younger woman. She'd had quite a few kisses in the dark corners of the tower while the lights of Paris twinkled underneath, but he was different. The thought of kissing him almost took her breath away. She couldn't understand it. She'd known Coulson since the met the first day at the Academy. They were friends…best friends…yet she was drawn to him in a way she was not to anyone else. If he tried to pull her into a dark corner she wasn't sure how far things would go. But he didn't.

They ended up at that little café with the couple who had just been married. Coulson bought a bottle of champagne and let that couple believe they were just as newly wed. They shared the shared the second bottle with the couple, said good night and walked the length of the most lighted avenue in the city. They didn't even speak, just walked and enjoyed each other.

She laughed at his horrible French when they ended up in some hotel and then registered them as Mr. and Mrs. F. Nicholas in a play on Fury's name. She giggled…actually giggled at his silliness. The both laughed all the way to the elevator with him jiggling the key in his hand. The lift was so slow she threatened to jump on top and pull the damn thing up herself. Phil grabbed her hand to stop her then pulled her so close their noses actually touched. She wasn't sure who kissed whom first but she knew she pulled him closer and really kissed him the second time. That did it. Whatever was holding them back smashed like a baseball through a plate glass window. She was sure she heard the tinkling of glass.

He couldn't get that damn door open fast enough and they were both naked before they took ten steps across the room. For a heartbeat she thought this was a bad idea and they'd regret it in the morning, but he was on her and she didn't want anything else…just Phil…her Phil…her crazy, goofy Phil. They satisfied each other and drifted into a light sleep. She woke first thinking it was done and he would realize the folly of this whole evening but he smiled and pushed her hair from her face then kissed her so lightly on the collar bone that her whole body shivered with the goose bumps that flashed across her skin. He caressed her so lightly, so softly she could barely feel him yet the feeling was so powerful she was drawn to him like a magnet to steel. When he came to her again she was sure she had the power to levitate or maybe he did, but she was breathless with passion. He was the same…breathless. The night went on and on as if they had to make every moment count and do in a few hours what they would not have a lifetime to live. She fell asleep on his chest, listening to the rapid beat of his heat and knowing hers was beating just as quickly.

And then it was morning and somewhere a phone was ringing. She wrapped herself in one of the sheets and searched through the cast off clothing until she found it in Phil's jacket pocket. Fury was furious, she actually laughed at the thought. He'd been trying to contact them for hours. Where had they been and where were they and what the hell were they doing?! She looked at the sheet pulled around her and thought pretty much the same thing, but made up some kind of excuse and told him she'd have Phil call him back.

She gathered her clothing and woke him then showered and ordered breakfast. They mentioned nothing about the night they shared and simply moved on to the assignments they were given when Phil called their boss. She assumed he had been drunk and remembered nothing and let him believe the same about her.

Recent events reminded her that life was too fragile to waste on secrets and lies. She stared at the back of Phil's head then walked around him and looked into his eyes.

"Phil," she said his name so softly as she took his hand.

He looked at her hand for a moment then squeezed it in his own. Slowly he raised his head and looked at her for the first time since he lost himself in memories…real memories.

"Phil," she said his name again, with a tiny almost smile and he smiled back. "I remember everything."

He closed his eyes and swallowed and for a second she almost felt fear. He opened them again and she knew before he spoke. "Every second…" he grinned.


	9. Chapter 9 - And So We Grow

**Chapter 9**

 **And So We Grow**

Daisy didn't intend to eavesdrop. It was an accident, kind of an accident…well it was really accidentally on purpose. She had gone back to the Cage to let them know there'd be an extra long wait for the desired pizza, apparently there was unusually high traffic in the pizza industry this evening. She heard the soft voices and approached cautiously then stood outside the door. Coulson had asked if May remembered Paris. Daisy hung on that word. They'd told her that was where she began…where the spark of life ignited by their passion created her.

She hadn't told them that it had started to bother her…that she was merely an accident created by two people in a drunken stupor that fell into some fit of lust for each other. It almost mad her sad knowing that they had not intentionally become her parents in the first place. But, he asked her if she remembered and she didn't answer for a long time. He didn't say anything either. Then she spoke just above a whisper telling him she did remember. He did too, every minute. Daisy could hear the smile in their voices, quickly wiped the tear from her cheek and swallowed the sob she knew they would hear. They may not have planned on her but they did care for each other…hell, she told herself as she slowly walked away, still wiping tears…they loved each other…but, she always knew that.

Forty-five minutes later the crew gathered in the newly refurbished common room enjoying the varieties of pizza Daisy had ordered. She remembered what everyone liked and ordered it all. Having everyone just sitting around, munching their favorite pies and sipping a few brews was something she'd missed…something they'd all missed. Fitz and Simmons seemed quieter than usual, a bit anxious probably about whatever Piper had brought to their attention, but since they didn't bring it up, well, it could wait. Tonight they would just be family…like they used to be all that time ago, before inhumans and Hydra and Hive and rocks that suck people to another planet and crazy demented robots that create the Hell Mound and call it a new world. Tonight they would just be people having a good time, laughing, talking, joking and being happy just to be together. Sure, they were just putting all the insanity on a back burner. There was still so much to sort through, to settle, and to put back together but not tonight…just not this _one_ night.

Daisy sat on the new couch. It wasn't as comfy as the old one, but she guessed it just wasn't broken in yet. She watched Mack and Yoyo laughing at some silly not so funny joke Coulson had just told. May rolled her eyes and tipped the top of her beer bottle toward her. Fitz and Simmons spoke quietly seated next to each other at the table. A few newer agents milled in and out, Piper and that new guy, Chen smiled and laughed for a bit but left quickly after sharing a piece of pepperoni-mushroom and a cold one.

She didn't remember falling asleep, didn't even think she was that tired. She'd closed her eyes and just listened to the conversations around her, even still held a bottle in both hands. Someone gently slid it from her and urged her to stand but she had no memory of getting to her bunk or climbing into bed.

The day hadn't started out so well, she or Skye or whoever the hell they were together or separately, had gotten them into a real mess and they'd paid for it. Yet, she held no resentment toward her mother, toward May. She remembered the bike incident in the Fitzwork and recalled a similar one in her actual past.

She'd found an old bike, tossed in a junk yard a few block from St. Agnes. She dug it out and worked on it for weeks before she got it to work. It was rusty and wobbled way too much but it was hers. Mary Sue had never had a bicycle and despite the fact that it looked like something from one of those end of mankind movies, she thought it was the most beautiful thing in the world. She kept it stowed between the church garage and the shed that belonged to the neighbors. If anyone found it there they would just assume it belonged to them and no one would be suspicious. She snuck it out when she could and rode it through the alleys that crisscrossed the small neighborhood. Riding it into the street wasn't her plan on that Saturday morning but it happened. The Volkswagen Bug clipped the front tire and sent her sailing off onto the pavement. She woke up in a hospital bed with her arm in a cast from her fingers to her shoulder and a very large bandage around her head. Someone must have recognized her from the orphanage because the Sisters were in and out for the few days she was there...tsking at her and shaking their heads.

Daisy never saw the bike again, never knew what happened to it. She never asked and no one ever cared to tell her so it remained a mystery. A few of the older kids told her she was really stupid and she could have been killed and didn't she ever think before she did stupid things. The Sisters scolded her and told her that breaking her arm was punishment for doing something so thoughtless. They told her to think about it but all she did was feel guilty for a long time and hated that feeling.

It wasn't like that with Mommy-May. Daisy lay in her bed staring into the darkness, smiling and remembering. May was pretty damn mad when she dragged her into their house. She took her to her pretty blue bedroom, told her to stay there and then she left. Skye was mad too…mad that her bike was crushed…mad that mommy wouldn't let her have it in the first place…mad that she had to stay in her room and mostly mad at herself for being so mad and maybe that was what guilt was all about. In Daisy's little Skye mind she really couldn't tell the difference or figure out while she felt so overwhelmed with everything. Then May returned. She wasn't angry anymore. She talked to her quietly, explaining how much danger she had put herself in and how she could have been hurt and how she had been so very naughty in taking the key and getting the bike in the first place. She reminded her that she and daddy had spoken to her about all those things three times before.

Daisy agreed with May. Skye had been reckless and defiant (well, the key thing was actually more Daisy's). It was a weird feeling. Daisy did agree with May and wondered why she wasn't reading the kid the riot act and at the same time she felt ashamed and was so glad she wasn't yelling. Daisy was angry with her Skye-self for being so stupid and for almost getting them killed. She wondered if this frame worked the same as AIDA's and if little Skidaisy had gotten herself…well, if she…would Daisy die too? That was way too scary. What was wrong with that kid, taking such a risk? Daisy almost smacked herself, geesh she was thinking like a parent. That was really weird because she understood exactly how May felt, imagining that she'd lost her little girl…again. Suddenly a lot of things made sense. She tried to tell May she was sorry, but all she could do was cry.

Yep, Skye was crying and Daisy was apologizing or vice versa or alternately or something, she couldn't keep it straight in her mind. May hugged her, shook her head and told her that sorry was a good thing, but this time it just wasn't enough. It didn't really dawn on either her or Skye what May intended until it was done. After which what she felt was certainly not anger, but May held her and kissed her and told her how much she loved her. She knew…knew Mommy-May loved her and just wanted to stay there and love her back.

Daisy rolled to her side and tucked her hands under her pillow. She thought again about Fitz saying that not all memories were good and she smiled. At first she thought this was one of those not so good memories but the more she thought about it the more she realized the difference in her bike experiences. This memory gave her a feeling of security, a realization that May cared about her safety and her behavior and that she would do what was necessary to protect her, even if it was a little painful for both of them.

xx

"Skye! Let's go!" Melinda called from the foot of the stairs.

The little girl walked to the top of the steps and peered down at her mother. "I don't want to go to the doctor." She whined, refusing to descend the staircase.

Melinda pursed her lips and glared at her stubborn five-year-old. "You really haven't got a choice, Skye. School starts in three weeks and you have to have a physical before you can go."

Skye sat on the top step, elbows on her knees and rested her head on her little fists. "Maybe I don't have to go to school. I already know how to read and I can count to almost a hundred."

Melinda closed her eyes and counted to ten in two languages. She glanced at the large clock in the parlor. "Skye we have to leave or we'll be late and have to wait longer. Get down here."

"Mommy, you just don't understand…" the little girl began as she stood and took one step down. "I'm not sick. Can't you just tell the teachers?"

"No Skye, it doesn't work that way the doctor has to fill out the form and sign it." Melinda explained for the third time this morning and the umpteenth time since she had told her little one about this appointment.

Skye shook her head and took two more steps, holding on to the railing with both hands. "He's gonna poke at me and press on my neck and my belly and ask me lots of questions I don't like and then what if he wants to give me a shot. I don't like shots, Mommy. You know that. Member last time?"

"Yes, I do remember Skye and that is why Daddy is meeting us there." Melinda nodded.

Skye stopped with her foot dangling above the next step. "Daddy? Why does Daddy have to meet us?" ( _Daisy took over the thinking. 'Come on, kid, figure it out. Why would both parents have to go with you?'_ ) She pulled back her foot, sat down and wrapped her arms through the pickets on the banister. "I'm not going if he's gonna shot me!"

Melinda let out an exasperated breath and dropped her head to her chest. "Skye, please don't make me come up there." She mumbled more to herself than her child.

"Mommy, please don't make me go. I need to help Mrs. Schuster walk her dog today. I promised her and I can't go back on my word." Skye tried bargaining, knowing it wasn't going to get her very far. She was fighting a losing battle and she knew it.

"I'm not going to lie to you Skye. You're going to have to get shots today, but mommy and daddy will be right there with you." Melinda sighed.

"Shots?" Skye's eyes went wide as she hugged the pickets tighter. "I gotta get more than one? How many?" She loosened her grip for a moment and pushed her self up a step without standing then wrapped her arms through the pickets once again.

"Skye, listen to me." Melinda began, taking one step up toward the little girl who now had tears streaming down her cheeks. "I know you're afraid, but it will be fast and then it will be all over. I promise."

"But…but I'm not sick. I don't need it." Skye disagreed.

"It's so you don't get sick, now please come down here so we can go." Melinda tried to keep her voice calm but knew she was slowly losing patience with her little one. Skye shook her head and backed up another step. "Skye Meiying Coulson, this is your very last warning. I want you down here right now!" She used her firmest voice without shouting.

' _Aww, come on, kid, you…er…we can do this. I hate shots too…well, yeah you know that but look you won't have to do it alone cuz, I'm gonna be there with us._ ' Daisy realized she was talking to herself and almost laughed. She wondered if Skye would laugh if she did, but on second thought May might take that wrong. It was not wise to laugh at an almost angry parent. No sense pushing the envelope or in this case the parent over the edge.

Skye stopped backing away from her advancing mother. She pulled her arms from the railing and folded then on top of her knees then dropped her head on top and sobbed into them. Melinda climbed to the same step and sat down next to the distraught child and wrapped her arm around the little girl. "It's okay, baobei." Melinda squeezed her a little. "Nobody likes shots, but it's just something we have to do."

"You're not afraid." Skye sobbed without lifting her head. ' _That's right, May's the bravest person there is. Nothing shakes her, she's absolutely fearless and hey, you're…um, we're…I'm her kid.'_ Skye wasn't sure where these silly thoughts were coming from but she was right. Melinda was her mommy and she wasn't afraid of anything.

"Well, I'm not afraid but that doesn't mean I like shots. I just don't think about it." Melinda explained leaning down to kiss the back of Skye's head.

"How my 'spose to not think about someone stabbing me?" Skye lifted her head and stuck out her arm. She cried bitterly.

Melinda laughed at her dramatics. "I really think it's more of a little pinch than a stab, Skye."

"Well, I got little arms!" She stuck both straight out to demonstrate then stopped and looked at her mother with wide teary eyes. "They're arm shots right? He's not gonna shot my butt, is he?" Now she was standing and Melinda had her by the wrist. Skye pulled to gain freedom, to dash back to her bedroom.

"Skye, relax, honey." Melinda pulled her onto her lap and wrapped both arms around her. Skye sat facing her mother and shook her head. Melinda held her face in her hands and kissed her forehead. "How about we think about tonight instead of all this? Tonight it will be all over. Yeye is going to make your favorite supper and it's movie night."

"I might be too sore to move or eat or watch a movie ever again." Skye wailed and fell onto her mother's shoulder, wrapping her arms around her neck.

"I doubt that," Melinda smiled as she stood and carried her little girl down the stairs and out the front door.

Daisy almost laughed at herself. She didn't remember being so dramatic as a child. Probably because the Sisters at St. Agnes simply had none of it, they just ignored most of her ramblings. She did remember getting shots. One of the nuns would take a group of them to the clinic set up in the church basement. It was always a different doctor or nurse or some person who never smiled. They'd line up and everyone got a turn. Roll up your sleeves or drop your draws and -bam! Worse thing was sometimes you just got back in line for a second jab. Nobody got a lollipop or a hug, just lined up and marched back to the orphanage. If you carried on too much you just got sent to your dorm and spent the afternoon sobbing into your pillow.

Skye was still pretty upset as May buckled her into the car and kissed her head again. She pleaded with her mother and bargained as well, but May just smiled and told her it was something they would get through together. Skye was sure she wouldn't survive. Daisy did laugh and Skye reacted but hers was more of a strangled sob. Her stomach started to feel a little queasy but if she threw up then her mother might think she was really sick. That could be worse. Daisy tried to swallow the nauseous feeling and calm her Skye-self down.

 _'Naw, we'll…I'll be fine, kid. I'm fine and I've had lots of shots. Got shot for real once…ugh, that's not something a kid should hear…that is if you can even hear me or think me or whatever it is we're doing here. You can't remember something that hasn't even happened to you yet, can you? It won't be like the last time when we were…no, when I was a kid. This time May…Mommy will be there. You won't have…I…I won't have to do it alone with some overworked clinic doctor who just stopped in and jabbed as many kids as he had to then breezed out. Nobody's gonna scold you for crying or send you to your bed so they don't have to listen. You…we…I…god, we need another pronoun…are going to have Melinda May right there with you…me…us. We'll be fine.'_

xx

Coulson opened his eyes to a shrill scream. He expected to find Skye in some kind of peril but found himself seated in a room full of small children. Some sat with adults who he assumed were parents, some milled around a small library looking area and others played with small toys and blocks at a little table in the corner. The screaming child, a girl, sat on a man's lap grasping a ratty looking blanket. A stern looking woman sat inside an office in front of him. She shook her head and said something about it being the last time she would push back his appointment and slid the window that separated them closed. Phil smiled and stepped over a few children then sat down in one of the empty chairs. He barely noticed the pain in his head, although it throbbed in tandem with the cacophony in the large room. He glanced at his watch and the clock on the wall and wondered what the hell he was waiting for and where was May.

Twenty minutes later, May carried Skye through the door and made her way across the room to meet him halfway. "Where have you been?" Phil whispered as he took the sobbing child from his wife and wrapped her in a tight embrace. He could see Skye had been crying, but she didn't look sick or hurt. "I've made so many excuses the receptionist won't even open the little window for me anymore." He kept his voice low and calm, wondering why he was making excuses and what they were for exactly.

Melinda let out a sigh and nodded toward the child wrapped around him. "It took me fifteen minutes just to talk her out of the car, Phil." She smiled as they made their way across the waiting room to a pair of side by side seats.

"You're an hour late." He explained with a smile toward the other parents in the room as he turned Skye on his lap ignoring the little whine she eeked out. "I let two other parents trade appointments with us. That receptionist is a barracuda!" Phil wasn't sure how he knew the exact amount of time they were late or what the two parents traded to him, but he sensed the tension in both May and their daughter.

Melinda nodded at him while she continued a fake smile toward the rest of the room's occupants. "I'm sorry, Phil but you know how she can be." She nodded toward the little girl attempting to hide her face in her father's jacket. " We shouldn't have to wait too long. Our little drama queen usually gets us out of the waiting room on the express track." She reached to take Skye who shook her head and squirmed farther into daddy's embrace. Phil squeezed her tighter and kissed the top of her head causing her to sob a bit louder.

Two children who were playing with blocks picked up their heads at the sound and looked to their parents. A third child scrambled on to a man's lap and stuck his thumb in his mouth. Another child who appeared to be no more than two and already had tears on her cheeks began to wail so loudly that the parent stood and walked out the door into the hallway. Phil looked up as the receptionist tapped on her sliding glass window and crooked a finger at him.

Phil blew out a puffy breath and stepped to the window with Skye still in his arms. "I see your family has finally arrived." The woman sneered at him as she pushed her dark rimmed glasses up on her nose. He smiled and nodded. "The nurse will be out to get you in a few minutes." She was curt but not rude and tilted her head at the door next to her office. Before she could slide the window closed, a nurse with a much friendly expression poked her head out of that same door.

"Coulson?" She smiled.

xx

Daisy felt ridiculous sobbing, uncontrollably. She swiped the tears away from her…no, from Skye's face and stared at the cellophane covered red lollipop she twirled in her hand. She looked at her left arm and the two hot pink band aids there then turned to the right and noticed a purple patch at the same level on that side. She had no idea what color the band aid she sat on was or if the two nurses, one doctor, and both parents had managed to even get one there. She almost smiled at how her little Skye body had put up a great fight but in the end (pardon the pun) squealed like 'this little piggie' when one of them jabbed her backside with that spear. She thought about wrapping her arms around herself in a kind of weird hug but knew that Skye probably wouldn't move her (or their) arms for quite a while. May actually had to lift those little arms to get them back into her red and white sun dress. She was sure her cheeks were still bright red, partly from crying and mostly from giving Coulson and everyone else in the room an up close and personal view of a 'full moon'. Saying she was mortified would be an understatement.

Phil carried the little girl from the car and set her down just inside the back door. She refused to meet his eye. William May turned from the stove and smiled at his favorite granddaughter.

"Sūnnǚ, nǐ hǎo, wǒ de tiánměi nǚhái?" He squatted down in front of her and wiped away a lone tear. "Kūqì, xiǎo nǚhái? Shì fēicháng zāogāo ma?" William rarely spoke English to his granddaughter wanting her to know the language of her ancestors and he thoroughly enjoyed the fact that Phil could not understand a word. He questioned her crying and asked if it were so bad.

"Yéyé wǒ bùnéng dòng wǒ de shǒubì. Tài kěpàle wǒ bùnéng zǒulù huò zuò xià" Skye limped across the kitchen holding her arms stiff at her sides, her crying renewed as she told her grandfather she might never move her arms again or sit down. (Not only was Daisy impressed with her mastery of Mandarin, but if it were possible she'd pat herself on the back for knowing exactly what she said.)

William stood and smiled at the little girl who continued sniffling. "Lái ba, yéyé huì wèi nǐ zhǔnbèi tèbié de xiǎochī." He put an arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him.

"Wǒ bùxiǎng yào tiándiǎn wǒ bù rènwéi wǒ kěyǐ chī tā." Skye refused his offer, claiming she might never be able to eat again. (Daisy couldn't help it. She laughed out loud and was surprised that Skye did not. Apparently, she couldn't control her little self completely or she was just too upset to give in. Grandpa was telling her he had a special snack and she wanted no part of it, silly kid.)

"Wǒ zuòle nǐ zuì xǐhuān de hétáo bǐnggān." William tempted her, holding up a freshly baked walnut cookie.

Skye stared at it for a few seconds while Daisy's mouth watered. 'Come on, kid. I love those little things…May makes them…I could eat a dozen.' Skye sniffled and drew a shaky breath. "Well, maybe just one." She lifted her arm slowly, almost robotically and took the offering. Daisy smiled and felt Skye do the same, despite her 'mortal pain'. Grandpa patted her head and smiled.

May finally entered the house and scolded her father for giving the little girl treats considering her behavior since early morning and the dramatics at the doctor's office. William shook his head and insisted she needed a little comfort after such a horrendous ordeal. Phil watched his little girl nibble her favorite treat, then scooped her up and carried her to the large chair in the living room. He cuddled her close and kissed her temple.

It had been a rough morning. Skye's eyes drifted closed as she snuggled into her father's embrace. Phil smiled and gently patted her back as his eyes closed as well. Somehow holding her this close, smelling her strawberry scented shampoo and feeling her little arms hugging him made the pain in his head less. He wondered if the pain was really subsiding or if he just imagined it because of her closeness, but it really didn't matter. He took a deep breath and drifted away on a smile.

xx

"Time to get up sweet pickle," Phil spoke softly to the little girl buried under a soft blue blanket.

"I'm not a pickle…" came the groggy voice as the lump rolled over and pulled the covers tighter around her head. "It's still night, daddy." Skye's muffled voice came from under the mound.

Phil laughed, getting his bearings in this new development. He peeled back the blanket and scooped the little girl into his arms. "Big day today, little girl, gotta get an early start," he smiled as she let herself go limp and refused to open her eyes. He tossed the little girl over his shoulder and headed for the stairs. "Blueberry pancakes for breakfast today, just like you ordered." Phil purposefully bounced down the stairs causing the little girl to juggle up and down like a rag doll. At the bottom of the stairs, he slid her to the floor and stood her in front of him. In true Skye-like fashion, she let her legs turn to jelly and began to drop to the floor, but Phil caught her and tickled her sides.

"Daddy, stop!" Skye giggled despite a valiant try to resist. "I gotta go the bathroom." She crossed her legs and opened her eyes wide before dashing into the hall powder room.

Phil laughed as he leaned back against the closed door and folded his arms over his chest. He waited a moment then tapped on the door. "You're not sleeping in there I hope." He smirked as the bowl flushed and the door opened. Skye glared up at him. "Wash your hands?" He smiled down at her without uncrossing his arms. Skye stepped back inside. Phil listened to the water running then smiled down at the little girl rubbing her eye. He scooped her up and spun her around in the hall before hurrying into the kitchen.

Melinda smiled as she set a plate of pancakes on to the table. "Good morning, Nǚ yīng. All ready for your first big day?" She took Skye from Phil's arms and squeezed her once before kissing her forehead. She set her on the floor and let her climb onto her chair.

"Zǎoshang hǎo, māmā." Skye greeting her mother in Mandarin, used to doing the same with her grandfather. She sniffed the steaming pancakes in front of her then looked around the kitchen. "Where's Yéyé?"

"Yéyé is visiting his friend, Mr. Liu today. You know that, baobei. Mr. Liu is in the hospital and Yéyé was very worried about him."

Skye nodded her head and watched as Phil poured syrup over her hotcakes. She picked up her fork and scooted closer to the table. "Who made breakfast?" She raised her eyebrows looking from one parent to the other.

Melinda laughed. "Daddy made the pancakes. I just made sure they had just the right amount of blueberries and that they didn't burn while he wrestled you out of bed."

The little girl pushed a rather large piece into her mouth and chewed most of it before she gave a thumbs up. "Why does school start so early? I like to sleep more." She informed her smiling parents.

"That's just the way things are, Skye." Melinda replied as she chewed her own much smaller bite.

Skye swallowed and pinched her face in thought. "I think we should change that." She announced then took another large bite.

"Little bites, Skye. You're going to choke." Melinda shook her head.

Phil took a long sip of coffee and nodded toward the little girl. "We'll give it a try, angel but I think it's more or less set in stone."

Skye finished the last bite of her pancake and held up her plate. "More please," she smiled as Phil placed another kid-sized flap jack on her plate and smothered it with syrup.

Phil volunteered to clean the kitchen while Melinda directed a very sticky Skye to the upstairs bath and into the tub. Twenty minutes later Melinda stepped into the kitchen and cleared her throat when Phil failed to turn around. He looked over his shoulder at her standing in the doorway with the biggest smile he'd seen in years. He dried his hands on the dish towel and turned completely toward her wondering where their little girl was.

Melinda gave a quick wink and stepped to the side. "What do you think, Daddy? She's all ready."

Skye stood chewing her bottom lip. Her brand new freshly starched uniform made it official. Phil smiled and gave a shrill whistle. "Aren't you beautiful?" He stepped toward her taking in the whole package, including brand need T-strap slippers. "Guess we better get moving."

xx

May helped her little girl slip her brand new back pack over her shoulders as they stepped out of the car and walked toward the large concrete building. Skye slipped her hands into her parents and held tightly. "I'm not sure about this." She whispered. "What if I don't like school?"

Melinda stopped and squatted down in front of the anxious little girl. "Everybody has to go to school, Skye. It's the law."

"Laws are dumb," Skye pouted as she looked at her feet.

Melinda looked up at Phil, who shrugged his shoulders and patted the little hand he still held. She snarled at him. He wasn't helping. Phil thought for a moment then dropped down next to May. He tapped Skye on the chest to get her attention. "Did you know in Alabama it is against the law to drive blindfolded?"

Skye laughed a silent laugh. "That's silly, Daddy." He rolled his eyes and nodded at her as he stood.

"Yep, that's a silly law." He tapped her nose. "Going to school isn't and you are going to have a great day because you are Skye Coulson and you always have a great day."

Skye furrowed her brow and turned down the sides of her mouth as they started walking toward the door. "Not always, Daddy. Sometimes I have not so great days, sometimes even bad days."

"Don't we all?" Melinda quipped as she pulled open the double door and waited for Phil and Skye to step inside.

Kids and parents were everywhere. Some were hurrying into classrooms others lingered in the hallway chatting with friends they hadn't seen in weeks or clinging to parents who weren't ready to say goodbye. The woman at the center of it all smiled at the Coulsons as she reached out a hand.

"Good morning," she spoke loudly over the din in the hallway. "I'm Mrs. Preston, school principal."

"Yes," Melinda nodded as she shook the woman's hand. "We met at orientation." The principal nodded. "This is Skye." She smiled as she put a hand on her little girl's back and nudged her forward.

"Good morning, Skye Coulson," Mrs. Preston said a bit louder than needed.

A younger woman standing behind the principal scanned a large clipboard she held then smiled over it. "Room 6, Miss Wicks." She informed her.

"Well, you are a lucky little girl." Mrs. Preston smiled down at Skye who took a deep breath and squeezed her parents' hands tightly. "Welcome to our school. It's your very first day of kindergarten and it's your teacher's first day, too. Let's go meet her, shall we?" She put out a hand for Skye to take but the little girl shook her head refusing to let go of either parent. "Okay, that's not a problem." The principal smiled at the Coulsons. "Mommy and Daddy can just come with us."

Miss Wicks was a godsend. She was young and perky. She greeted Skye and her parents with a wide smile and cheerful 'hello'. It only took a few minutes for her to convince Skye to hang up her back pack and join the group of children examining the many learning centers in the classroom. She took a few minutes to speak with Phil and Melinda, assuring them that all would be well. When the bell rang, startling all the children, it was time to say the final farewells as several parents slipped from the room after last hugs and kisses.

Phil squeezed his little girl. This was the first time he had to leave her with someone other than William May. He didn't expect to feel the way he did…like he was abandoning her. He could see the tears just waiting to spill from the little girl's eyes. He kissed her forehead and assured her he would be back to get her at the end of the day. May took her turn hugging her baby girl and reminding her to be good and crossing her fingers that Skye's stubborn streak didn't make its debut the very first day of class. She kissed her on both cheeks and felt the stab of pride and loss as Skye sniffed back her tears and waved goodbye as Mrs. Wicks closed the heavy wooden door.

"Well, that was e…" Phil started to say as they turned to walk away.

The classroom door opened expelling a sobbing Skye who raced to her parents wrapping her arms around Phil's legs. He wanted to pull her into his arms, take her home and never let her go again, but that wouldn't be fair to either of them. Melinda looked back at the teacher who stood in the doorway, attempting to see her little escapee as well as supervise the children gathered behind her.

"Xiànzài shì xuéxiào, yǒnggǎn de nǚhái de shíhòule. Wǒmen ài nǐ. Bié kū, Skye. Nǐ cōngmíng ér yǒnggǎn, jiù xiàng māmā hé bàba yīyàng." She brushed Skye's bangs from her eyes and nodded twice. Skye hugged her mother tightly, kissed her cheek and walked back to the classroom.

May turned and quickly wiped the tear that trickled over her cheek.

Daisy had kept 'quiet' throughout the whole first day of school experience, letting Skye have 'all the fun'. She tried not to think about her very first day of school. She'd been with her first foster family, the Fosters. It was funny because she was so little she thought it was called a foster family because of their name. It didn't take long for her to see the error in that. They had two other children, also foster kids. She cringed remembering the other children's giggles when she was introduced to the class, but then who wouldn't giggle at a scrawny little kid named Poots. She had a self-inflicted hair cut that morning…gave it to herself because her bangs kept getting caught in her eyelashes. So she found a nice sharp pair of scissors and just snipped them off…right up to her hairline. She remembered the sneakers she wore that day. They were hand-me-downs, boys' sneakers. One had a blue lace, the other was dirty white and the shoes themselves were black high-tops. Her jeans were too big and held up with a large safety pin that she lost the first time she used the lavatory, forcing her to hang on to them with one hand for the rest of the day. She was proud of her brand new sweatshirt, it was purple with a sparkly unicorn on the front…so proud of it that she wore it every day for the first week. Two weeks later it didn't matter because then she was back at St. Agnes and everyone wore second-hand clothes and went to school in the orphanage classrooms where the sisters were the teachers and it didn't matter what your silly name was or who laughed at it.

Daisy kept quiet and observed and sucked in every minute of Skye's first day of school because she hoped she could use it to erase the real memory. She let herself feel all of Skye's emotions and basked in all the hugs and kisses Phil and Melinda were so great at giving. She cried with Skye when she had to leave them, cried for Skye. It was Daisy that ran from the classroom, aching for one last hug, one last kiss from both of them and then May spoke to her in that melodic language that she now understood. She said they loved her. She told her not to cry, that she was smart and brave just like her parents…just like Coulson and May.

Daisy realized probably for the first time that when you're a foster kid, no one ever tells you that you're like anyone else…well, no one good anyway. No one ever says 'you have your mom's eyes or your dad's smile. No one ever said you laughed like your mother or you smiled like your father. You were never like anyone, you just were and no one really noticed. But May said it, she was smart and she was brave just like them…just like her daddy…just like her mommy. That meant more to her than any memory she or Coulson or May or even this crazy string of ones and zeros created. For a second she was jealous of Skye and the way they loved her so much, then she remembered Skye was her and she was Skye…they were one. They loved her, Daisy and she loved them back.

xx

Phil sat on the edge of the mattress having pulled himself from the program before May and Skye would wake. His head throbbed and another of Simmons' migraine cures worked a miracle but this time he had to agree to an MRI and a CAT scan. He was sure they would find nothing. He remembered an aunt that suffered from migraines and weren't they hereditary or genetic or predisposed. Hell, he'd been through enough in the past year to give him a brain implosion and that included having his skull burst into flame while he was still using it. Now that was bizarre and maybe that was the cause of this damn torture. But, if a shot in the ass took the pain away, he'd take it. And why or why or why did a shot there take care of a massive headache?

"Phil?" May's hand on his shoulder brought him from his thoughts. He turned and smiled at her. She narrowed her eyes staring into hers. "Head again?" She pursed her lips and tilted her head in that way that would not allow him to lie to her.

"Taken care of," he smiled as he squeezed her hand then slipped off the table and walked around it to join her. "Another first step," he grinned as she put his arm around May's shoulders and stared down at the still sleeping Daisy.

"First one away," May frowned as Phil looked confused. "She's taken the first step toward independence, Phil. First day of school is a big thing, first step into the world without us…" It hurt even to say…even though it wasn't real.

Simmons smiled as she eased the head gear off of Daisy and began slowly to shut down the programs at her station. As usual, the girl remained asleep after the program closed. She drew a deep breath and mumbled a few unintelligible syllables. May shook her head. Coulson snickered.

"Méiyǒu māmā, bùyào líkāi wǒ!" Daisy spoke out loud as if wrestling with a bad dream. She almost begged May not to leave her.

May rested her hand on the girl's arm surprised at hearing her speak the language so fluently. "Wǒ zài zhèlǐ, nǚ'ér. Zài zhèlǐ gěi nǐ." She spoke softly assuring Daisy she was there for her.

The girl opened her eyes, blinked at the couple staring down at her. "Zhè shì xiànzài de xíguàn" She smiled, not even realizing she told them in Mandarin that this was becoming a habit.

"Méiyǒu māmā, bùyào líkāi wǒ!" Daisy spoke out loud as if wrestling with a bad dream. She almost begged May not to leave her.

May rested her hand on the girl's arm surprised at hearing her speak the language so fluently. "Wǒ zài zhèlǐ, nǚ'ér. Zài zhèlǐ gěi nǐ." She spoke softly assuring Daisy she was there for her.

The girl opened her eyes, blinked at the couple staring down at her. "Zhè shì xiànzài de xíguàn" She smiled, not even realizing she told them in Mandarin that this was becoming a habit.

May hid a small laugh and looked to Phil whose look of total confusion said it all. "Hungry?" She asked as she helped Daisy to sit up and get her bearings before standing.

"Wǒ è sǐle." Daisy agreed she was famished, still unaware she was not speaking English.

"Let me guess. Pancakes?" Coulson smiled finally catching on to the crazy conversation.

"Lánméi?" Daisy's brows raised in anticipation.

Coulson looked to May for translation. "Blueberry sounds great." She agreed with Daisy, explaining to him as well.

Fitz and Simmons smiled at the exchange between the newly forming family and went about their tasks with the program and equipment.

Daisy clapped her hands together, smiled and hopped off the table. She took a few steps toward the door then turned back. "Bàituōle huǒjìmen! Coulson's zhìzuò lánméi jiānbing." She almost skipped out the door.

The scientists exchanged a wide-eyed glance then looked to May who shrugged her shoulders. Coulson watched the girl leave the room and took a step before turning back to his partner. "You think she's stuck?"

Fitz flicked a few switches with Simmons typed into her tablet. "I really don't think that's possible." He stammered trying to make sense of the situation. "The program shouldn't do that."

"I certainly hope it's temporary." Simmons frowned. "She's hard enough to follow as it is."

May just smiled as she gave Coulson a soft shove. "Let's go, daddy. You're daughter's expecting blueberry pancakes." She spoke over her shoulder as she passed him then looked to the young scientists. "That last bit? She's expecting you two to join us."

Fitz and Simmons put down their respective instruments and followed May out of the Cage. Phil stood for a moment. "Daughter," he said to himself then followed the others.


	10. Chapter 10 - Buried Secrets and So Many

**Chapter 10**

 **Buried Secrets and So Many Lies**

"Daisy, please sit down," Coulson asked for the third time.

"Nope," Daisy replied around a mouthful of pancakes and syrup. "I'm fine." She returned to speaking English not long after the group arrived in the common room, but showed no sign that she even knew she was speaking Mandarin or had made the switch.

May shoved a chair from the table with her foot and nodded toward it, directing the girl to sit without words. Daisy stopped chewing and looked from May's glare to Coulson's grin and the two scientists that refused to make eye contact. She took another bite of pancake holding the plate under her chin and looked at May with wide eyes. She chewed quickly and swallowed before speaking.

"I'd kinda really like to stand." She tried not to sound whiny.

"It's rude. Sit." May stated simply, nodding at the chair a second time.

Daisy set her plate on the table and watched as Coulson slid two more delicious blueberry treats on to it. She rubbed her backside with one hand. "You know, I really think that mattress has got a busted spring or something. I've got this pain in my…," she looked around the table at the faces anticipating her finishing the statement. "My..ah…back." She pulled her hand up and massaged the base of her spine. She lowered herself gently into the chair putting her weight to one side.

May sipped her tea and hid a smile behind her cup. "You want to tell her or should I?" She asked the two scientists without looking at either.

"Tell me what?" Daisy looked alarmed.

"Oh, Agent May is just referring to your retaining some of the physical aspects of your developing memories." Simmons explained as she nibbled her pancakes.

"Apparently, since you're presently experiencing childhood memories you also are remembering more like a juvenile than an adult, holding on to the physical aspects of your experiences more so than the psychological alternative. As you age, in the program, your memories of these events will lose that physical grasp and fall into vague memories of your encounters with this created past, just as your actual memories have." Fitz added, holding out his plate for Coulson to pile on a third helping.

"Right," Daisy drew out the word, furrowing her brow at him. She looked at Coulson who shrugged his shoulders, just as confused by Fitz's explanation.

Fitz shook his head and put down his fork. "What I'm trying to say is kids remember that something hurts, long after the hurt is gone. That's what's happening to you."

"As you get older, you remember the experience but not the pain. What lead up to the event and/or what happened after becomes more important in your adult mind. You don't remember the pain as much as you did as a child." Simmons added.

Daisy thought for a moment remembering the bike incident. That made sense, but would her little kid mind still be holding on to that memory. It didn't seem likely. She took a bite of her pancake and chewed while she thought.

May set down her cup and almost smiled. "Well, you put up enough fuss before that doctor finally got the shot in your xiǎo pigu." She smiled wider.

Daisy's eyes grew just as wide. 'My little butt?' she mouthed to herself.

Coulson laughed as he sat down with his coffee and picked up his fork. "Oh, yeah, you were like a wolverine. I could barely hold on to you. You were so cute trying to cover your little tokus with your hands. Took two more nurses to hold them still."

Daisy's cheeks turned scarlet as she suddenly had a very vivid memory of her computer generated trip to the doctor's office and her battle to resist booster shots. "Why would you do that?" She breathed at Fitz.

"Me?" Fitz smiled and pointed a finger at himself. Simmons snickered into her napkin. "I've got no control over what your thoughts create in there. I merely supply the means. Jemma and I observe your bodies and keep you stable while you wrestle with whatever your minds create."

Daisy turned to her new parents. "You," she pointed her fork at them. "What kind of joke was that?"

Coulson simply laughed as he enjoyed his serving of pancakes. May shook her head. "You think I created that scene, believe wrestling little you into anything was quite a chore. I felt like I was back in basic training. You were a real work out." She smiled at the girl.

Jemma watched for a few seconds, a wide smile growing across her face. "It's working, Fitz." She spoke softly to her partner as she leaned into him. "They're reminiscing, just like everyone does…looking back on shared experiences and laughing about them."

Fitz let out a small laugh. "Yes, parents love embarrassing their children with those kinds of memories, don't they?"

xx

"Daisy, I really don't feel you should take part in this briefing." Simmons shook her head as the group walked toward one of the repaired interrogation rooms. "May and Coulson can share with you what they think is appropriate."

Daisy shook her head. "This concerns _me_ , Simmons. No, this happened to _me_. I deserve to know all of it." She stopped and stepped in front of her friend. "I'm not a child, Jemma."

Jemma looked into the girl's eyes. "No, you're definitely not." She agreed. "I just feel this may be too much for you at this time…May and Coulson will be deeply affected, maybe that is something you don't want to see. I know I would not want to witness my parents going through such misery."

"But, I know you, Jemma Simmons. You wouldn't let them." Daisy countered.

Jemma smiled as she started walking again. "No, I wouldn't." She agreed.

Daisy watched for a moment before skipping a few steps to catch up with her.

Simmons pushed open the door to the small room allowing Daisy to enter. "What the hell is she doing here?" May demanded, standing from her chair and almost turning it over. Coulson grabbed her arm, immediately feeling a stab of pain in his cranium.

Daisy stopped so quickly that Jemma slammed into her, knocking her forward a few steps. Both girls stood staring at the angry woman. Simmons looked at Daisy recognizing the look of hurt on her face. She spoke before anyone else could. "She deserves to know, May. More so than any of us she's searched her whole life for this truth. It is important to her and what better way to learn it than with those who love her most, all of us."

Blinking back the tears that threatened to fall, Daisy swallowed hard and waited for May to respond. A few months ago it wouldn't have mattered, she would have just done whatever the hell she pleased and not gave a damn about what May or anyone else thought, but now…now it did matter. It mattered what her mother thought. It mattered that her mother didn't want her. 'No,' Daisy told herself, 'just didn't want her here…now…for this.' There weren't too many things in life that Mary Sue Poots Skye Daisy Johnson Quake was sure of…too many things had gone wrong, had failed her, had left her…but she was sure…very sure that May loved her. May searched for her all those months, defied authorities to find her. Even robot May loved her, even after she quaked her leg into three pieces. She blew up the base, obliterated all the other demon robots to save her, well her and Simmons. Even Radcliffe couldn't program a mother's love away…even when the robot May didn't know she was a mother because, well because May didn't know yet but something was there and whatever that was it stayed with May. Evil Hydra May saved her because of it. That version of May could not deny her feelings for the daughter she had already adopted into her heart. If it weren't for a mother's love they might have all died in there. So yeah, this was one thing Daisy was absolutely sure of…her mother, her real mother loved her.

"You don't have to protect me from this, May." Daisy spoke quietly. "I'm as strong as you've made me. I can handle it." She stepped slowly toward the woman.

May nodded as she took her seat. A few hours ago, she'd dropped her five-year-old at her first day of school and told her she was brave and strong…just like mommy. She looked at the dark-eyes that stared back at her and saw that little girl walking back into the classroom. That little girl would grow into this strong young woman. Her heart swelled with pride. She had those memories of her little girl, but also the memories of working with Skye…teaching her, training her to be the best agent SHIELD had since…well, since Melinda May. She smiled at Daisy as the girl took the seat next to her.

Whatever Piper had shared with Simmons…whatever became of it, they'd do go through it together. She felt Coulson's hand close around hers and squeezed back without looking at him.

Jemma nodded toward Fitz who tapped a few keys on a tablet and a large screen lit up on the wall. After a few more taps a grainy picture appeared. It was an ancient Chinese woman seated in a poorly lit background. Fitz struggled to bring the picture into focus. An older man, also Chinese sat next to the woman, from their plain clothing it was apparent they were poor farmers probably from one of the secluded regions in the interior of the large country. Agent Piper's voice was crisp and clear.

"I'm afraid the video isn't as well defined as we'd like it. I've got a few techs working on it, but we don't have all the resources we did in the past so it may take some time." Fitz frowned. "Luckily the audio is spot on."

Piper's voice gave the date, time and location of the interview. She named the woman, Wei Zhi and her son, Huang. The old woman spoke Mandarin, her son translated. His English was impeccable. The conversation started with the young agent asking about the baby who had survived the massacre a quarter of a century before.

The woman immediately stood, speaking so rapidly that her son could not or would not give the English version of her rant. Melinda understood most of it but kept it to herself. The old woman rambled about devils and curses, about death being what was deserved and that burning the village to ash was the only way to purify the ground it stood on. She went on about no one violating the place, it was forbidden…even to speak of…it was forbidden. It took Huang _and_ Chen to calm the woman who breathed rapidly and grumbled quietly slapping at her son as he tried to have her sit again.

Piper tried again, telling the woman through Huang that she was not asking about the village or what happened on that fateful night. Her concern was for the infant. What did the woman know of the infant who was carried away from the carnage?

Wei Zhi grew quiet staring off into the darkest part of the room. She looked at her hands and sighed before starting her story. Daisy watched with a knot in her gut, wondering if it might be wise to excuse herself, unsure if she really wanted to know about _that_ night and how she came to be an orphan. She found herself nibbling on her thumb nail, something she hadn't done in a very long time. She stood and paced toward the door and back. May almost stood to escort the young girl from the interrogation room but looked to Coulson who shook his head subtly. They needed to let Daisy make the decision herself, no matter how much it hurt both of them.

"Xiǎo tiānshǐ," the old woman began as a tiny smile crept across her wrinkled visage.

Daisy stopped pacing and looked toward the screen. 'Little angel?' A few seconds ago the woman was carrying on about devils and death and now she remembered an angel amidst all that evil. Maybe she did want to hear what the woman had to tell.

"It was the end of the rainy season," Wei Zhi's story began through her son's translation. "The doctor was busy with an accident that had happened during the day. So many men had been hurt by an explosion that no one could explain, but there had been fighting and the people of the small village did not question it. They, even then, kept to themselves but many strangers had been seen in the past few days and fear gripped the inhabitants of the area. Her father had told her that someone was coming to take away the devil who had haunted their village for so very long, for the witch that demanded sacrifice and took the lives of so many to feed her own need. The woman spit on the ground then stomped on the spot, as anger lit her gray eyes. When the jeep arrived a little after dark, so many breathed a sigh of relief, but it was not what they expected.

The man in the jeep was frantic, asking for help…asking if anyone spoke his language. Someone brought the doctor and it was very apparent that the woman who rode with the man was heavy with child. They helped her into the clinic and set up a table in the same room the doctor's wife occupied. Wei Zhi remembered two of the men hanging a curtain between the women, giving each a bit of privacy.

The old woman's face grew dark and she shook her head, almost as if she could not go on, could not tell the rest of the story. Daisy sat on the edge of the chair next to May, oblivious to the fact that her mother seemed to wish she could go through the screen to shake the story free.

"Their time came quickly, almost matching," she continued. She smiled remembering how she had chased the red-faced Western man from the room. Birth is no place for men, she had scolded him as she pushed him from the room then went back to help the Asian woman about to bring a child into the world. The doctor was hurrying from one side of the curtain to the other, barking orders at Wei Zhi. The woman laughed telling Piper that she had brought generations of babies into the world and did not need the help of some man that had to learn from a school how to do that which comes naturally to all women. But, she grew dark again telling of how she witnessed the doctor's wife holding a mewling infant in her arms while her husband attempted to stop the bleeding that would not stop. Wei Zhi had seen this before; she had seen women who went through this bleeding sickness. She knew it would not end well. She moved to take the baby from the woman, only to be turned back by the glare in the devil's eyes. Wei Zhi looked into the distance, falling silent before shaking her head and whispering that she would forever regret not taking the child, but she feared for her own children and grandchildren.

Then the other woman screamed and both she and the doctor hurried to the other side of the curtain. It was her time and within a few minutes a second tiny girl was delivered. This baby had a healthy wail, for as tiny as she seemed. The doctor looked Wei Zhi and sent her to tend his wife, suddenly full of fear that he had left her alone too long. She went reluctantly, dreading the idea of spending any time with the woman she despised…the woman who had taken her sister and her best friend's life and would take as many more as she pleased.

"Jiaying," she spat the name. "Jiaying, móguǐ de nǚ'ér."

"The devil's daughter," Daisy whispered under her breath. "What did you do?" May reached across the short space between them and squeezed the girl's hand.

Wei Zhi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She continued telling the agents and her son that she had walked back to the other side of the curtain and watched as Jiaying bent and kissed her small daughter. The baby was still, tiny feet exposed at the end of the blanket. She stopped for a moment thinking the dim lights in the room tricked her eyes then realized those little feet were no longer pink and moving, but deep blue, almost gray and dead still. Jiaying looked up and smiled…she smiled that evil knowing smile. The bleeding had stopped and if Wei Zhi had not just witnessed the woman go through hours of difficult labor and then give birth she would not have known. She quickly took the still form from the woman, repulsed that Jiaying released her still child as if it were nothing more than waste. Wei Zhi wrapped it in a piece of fabric. It was senseless to try to help the poor infant. It was too late. They had left the devil alone with that helpless child. She had seen it before…too many times.

Wei Zhi recalled carrying the now still baby to the doctor not knowing what she would say or how she would tell him that his wife had taken the life of their newborn in order to save her own. Jiaying would do anything to save herself, including ending the life of her offspring. She had done it before. Wei Zhi remembered. She remembered the Devil's Daughter since she was a small girl. She remembered her friend, Ting Shu who had gone with her own mother to Jiaying's home and was never seen again. She remembered the small boy with no name who the elders said was Jiaying's son. She remembered his bluish gray body when they buried him in the fields beyond the rice patties. She remembered others but could not tell of all of them, those memories were too harsh and too many. She also remembered the stories her mother told of the heartbreak of people forced to give up their children so the monster could live. Jiaying pretended so well, put on such a beautiful face in order to fool all of them, but Wei Zhi knew what she was and what she did.

The doctor stood with the second baby in his arms. He'd wrapped her in fabric ripped from the same piece Wei Zhi had used. She stepped to him with the tiny body in her arms and for a moment thought he would wail in his grief. She watched the change come over him, the light go from his eye replaced by a darkness she had just witnessed in the eyes of the devil. Wei Zhi could never understand how this man from the west took Jiaying as his wife. How did he not see what she was? How did he not know the reason for the deaths of so many? How did he not know the last doctor had died in the same manner? He stared into the pained face of his tiny daughter and swallowed hard. Did he condone what that monster had done? Wei Zhi expected him to take out his anger on the woman who killed his child but he simply looked down at the little bundle he held and smiled. The doctor looked at Wei Zhi and took the still child from her, holding one child in each arm. One full of life and promise, the other robbed of the life she would never know. He kissed the head of the cold child and gently placed her in a small box-like cradle then spoke softly to the child he still held as he walked around the curtain to his wife.

Wei Zhi dropped her head and cursed herself for not saving the child, for not stopping what the monster and her husband had done. She looked at the young woman on the table, still woozy from whatever drug the doctor had used to ease her pain. Why didn't she tell her? Let her know. Her husband, the man from the jeep looked young and strong. He could take back her child but Jiaying had regained her strength and the witch forgot nothing. Wei Zhi looked at her son, speaking directly to him. No one translated, but May understood…Daisy for some reason understood the language she could not a few weeks ago.

Wei Zhi told her son she could not risk his life or the life of his brother and sisters, of her grandchildren and those who were to come. Jiaying would not forget. She would seek revenge and take them all. They would become fodder for her need to survive. Huang wiped a tear from his eye and moved to sit next to his mother, wrapping his arms around her as she sobbed into his shoulder.

Daisy threw a hand over her mouth and raced from the room, making it to the nearest lavatory just in time. May closed her eyes but could not stop the tears that streamed over her cheeks. Coulson slammed a fist on the table causing the two scientists to jump. Fitz hit the pause button and the video stopped freezing Wei Zhi's face full screen. The woman's eyes were closed. One tear rolled across her face.

"We can stop," Jemma spoke softly.

May opened her eyes and took a breath, quickly wiping away the tears before she rose and went in search of her daughter. Coulson stood with both hands on the table, his head down and taking deep breaths but he shook his head. "Just give us a few minutes," he breathed without lifting his head.

Fitz let the screen go black then followed Jemma out of the room.

May walked down the hall in search of Daisy, glancing in two other small rooms before reaching the lavatory door. She pushed it open and found the girl seated on the floor leaning against the tiled wall. Daisy's knees were pulled up to her chest. She rested her head on them and did not look up when May approached.

The older woman dropped down next to the younger and said nothing. For a few minutes, they sat next to each other, almost unaware of the other's presence. Daisy cracked first as a small sob escaped on a breath. May had her enveloped in an embrace before it ended.

"She knew," Daisy cried into May's shoulder. "She knew…all that time she knew…she lied. She let me believe she was my mother and she knew. She wanted me to…to kill you." She collapsed into tears.

May stroked the girl's hair and shushed her softly, despite the fact that she was as incensed as Daisy was broken.

"She kept me so she could kill me? Was that the plan?" Daisy pulled away and squeaked out the questions. "She killed her own children? What kind of a mon…"

May pulled her back into her arms, rubbing her back and trying to calm her. Daisy squirmed free crab crawling quickly across the tile to the nearest commode and vomiting again and again. May moved to her side and held her hair away from the bowl. She patted her back and waited until Daisy sat back on the cold floor. The girl looked at May for a moment before throwing herself back to the bowl for another bout of violent vomiting until she suffered from only dry heaves.

"Come on," May urged softly as she placed her hand under Daisy's arm and tugged her to her feet. "Let's have Simmons give you something." She pulled the girl's arm around her shoulder and eased her out the door meeting the young doctor in the hallway. Together they helped Daisy to the half repaired medical lab where Jemma suggested a shot of Phenergan. She quickly drew the drug into a syringe and directed May toward the table with the wobbly Daisy.

"Perhaps you should lie down for a bit," Jemma suggested. "This drug can make you a bit drowsy."

Daisy shook her head and rubbed her backside. "Damn it, Jemma don't you have any shots that go in your arm? Damn it!" She growled at the doctor. "I really hate shots and I especially hate butt shots!"

Despite the situation, May could not help smirking at Daisy's use of Skye's terminology and at the silliness of the conversation.

Jemma held the hypodermic needle in her hand for a moment staring at it. She smiled then dropped it into a sharps container. "It did work rather quickly though didn't it?" She turned toward Daisy and waited for a reply. All she got was a grimace from her friend. Jemma shrugged her shoulders. "It has to be injected into a large muscle, Daisy and that," she pointed to the girl's posterior, "is your largest muscle."

Daisy rolled her eyes, "Whatever," she groaned and turned toward May. "I'm really sorry about all this. I just…it…"

May stepped away from the wall she'd been leaning on, uncrossed her arms and shook her head. "No need for excuses or explanations. I understand."

Daisy looked at the floor. "But, but it must be worse for you to see…hear…know what they really did."

"You survived, Daisy." May smiled at her daughter. "You're here. We're together. Nothing they did kept us apart. Everything we've survived has brought us to this. You, me, Coulson we survived the past. It can't hurt us."

"Yeah, but we didn't know the details. We didn't know how horrible it was…how terrible she was…" Daisy stopped as her stomach churned again. She waited for the feeling to pass. Jemma grabbed a basin, but it wasn't needed.

May took the girl's elbow. "Let's go see how's Coulson's doing." Daisy nodded. Jemma followed.

Coulson remained in the interrogation room alone, staring into the face of the woman who pushed him away from May…pushed him away from the opportunity to save both his partner and their child. The notion was archaic, but he was in a foreign country begging for help and glad to have found someone willing to give it. He paced back and forth in front of the screen cursing the woman…cursing the doctor…cursing himself for not insisting he stay with May…for not being there to see his child delivered. He slammed his fist against the closed door, leaving an imprint of his knuckles behind and used words he would never repeat in front of his team. If Jiaying wasn't dead, he would kill her. He regretted his decision to allow Cal to have a new life.

Cal didn't remember Daisy, the girl the crazy fool truly believed to be his daughter. Maybe that was punishment enough, but he also didn't remember stealing her…didn't remember his gorgon wife taking the life of his own child. From what Wei Zhi had said the doctor showed no remorse for his child. Damn it, he and May grieved more for the nameless infant than her own parents ever did. Coulson stopped pacing, stopped his rapid breathing…did Cal know what the maniacal Jiaying planned? Did he know she would take the life of their child in order to assure her own? Did that act remain with him all those years leading him to save Daisy's life when Jiaying finally showed her true malevolence? He thought for a moment about another monster, Daniel Whitehall. A Nazi monster that terrorized innocent victims at Auschwitz and Dachau, captured by Peggy Carter and banished to solitary confinement for almost fifty years only to find another monster who allowed him to be reborn. But that rebirth saved Daisy…saved his daughter…the baby stolen from him. If it hadn't been for the monster Whitehall… He let the thought fade. He could not justify the man's actions, not even if it saved his own child.

He pressed his hands to both sides of his head trying to push the pain away, pain that had intensified with his mental raging over what he had just learned. He squeezed his eyes shut amazed by the shards of jagged light that sparked behind his eyelids. The door clicked and he dropped his arms to his sides, pulling himself into a stance that would not belie his agony.

"Coulson," Daisy breathed as she plowed into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding on tighter than he could remember.

He held her, just held her, peering over her head at May who stood close behind. She smiled so slightly that only he recognized it for what it was and gave the slightest of nods. Daisy held tightly, trying and failing to hide the soft sob she promised herself she would not release. She held on regretting that she had not done the same when they leaned against Robbie's car and he teased her about being the director. It seemed so long ago. She wanted to…wanted to hug him like when he rescued her from that bastard Ward and they almost made history by being flattened by a Corvette that fell from the sky. She wanted to…but was afraid she had broken everything they'd built when she ran…left the team because she…well because she was just so damn stupid. She watched him that day and felt he would probably want to kick her in the ass rather than let her hug him one more time. She missed him, missed him more than she thought possible.

Coulson held her…held on to her like he should have the night she was born. He breathed in the smell of her and recalled the program memory of the little girl with strawberry scented hair…the infant that smelled of baby lotion and powder…the kindergartener with pancake syrup on her pajamas and blueberries on her finger tips. "We don't have to watch any more." He spoke softly to both his 'girls'.

Daisy shook her head as she backed away enough to look in his eyes. "No," she sighed, then took a breath and started again, with more confidence. "No, we need to know all the truth, no more secrets…no more lies." She brushed errant tears from her eyes and almost laughed as Coulson handed her his handkerchief.

May nodded her agreement as Fitz and Simmons returned to the room. They hesitated for a moment waiting for direction to continue. Coulson sat down where he had been seated previously, directing Daisy to the chair between him and May. Once all were seated he nodded to Fitz who restarted the recording.

This part of Wei Zhi's story held no secrets for Coulson or May. She told of the doctor's lie to them about their child and how her brother had led them to the field outside of the village where they could lay their infant to rest. She told of the pained look in the man's eyes and the stoic stare of the young mother who believed she had lost her daughter. She told of how she watched the next morning as the jeep drove away then turned to see Jiaying standing on the porch of the clinic with the infant in her arms. She stared at Wei Zhi daring her to say something but the old woman dropped her gaze to the ground and shuffled away. Jiaying held the tiny girl's hand and smiled at her before placing a kiss on the tiny head and turning back inside.

Wei Zhi's story went on telling of how Jiaying sought out a wet nurse for the infant refusing to nurse her. The doctor spent more time with the baby than he did with patients, even keeping the tiny baby in one of those cradle boxes in the exam room when he did treat someone. She smiled remembering the tiny infant who rarely cried and smiled whenever anyone spoke to her. She heard the doctor and his wife arguing in the night. He told her she needed to bond with her child while she told him it was not necessary, that nature would take its course and the little girl would serve her purpose. Over and over she told him she needed to protect the child no matter what, that she needed the little girl…that she was special…she could tell that someday this child would be a powerful force that she would need.

Daisy gasped and Fitz moved to stop the tape again, but Coulson stopped him with a glance. Reaching out, Daisy gripped both May and Coulson's hands. Jiaying knew. She knew even when Daisy was just a newborn that she was inhuman. How? What did she see that no one else could? What kind of power did Jiaying hold over inhumans? Daisy shivered with the thought that she accepted this monster as her mother. She hated herself for wanting parents so badly that she allowed herself to believe these people had created her when even then she truly wished her search had ended on the Bus with its pilot and senior agent. She squeezed the hands she still held and missed all the time she wasted believing Cal Johnson was her father when she knew Phil Coulson was her dad…ached for a mother that was Melinda May. Now, even when all of that became fact there was still so much damn pain. Nothing was easy. She'd been brushed by the damned…the cursed and it stuck. Jiaying touched her, passed some kind of warped corrupt luck on her. It followed her since birth. In this moment, Daisy blamed herself for everything…for insisting on being born six weeks before she should have been…for bringing Whitehall and his minions to the village where everyone died…for the agents that died protecting her. She thought about all the foster homes and all the stupid things she did as a kid, running away at sixteen, hacking everything hackable and all that was not. As she ran through the last few years of her life she felt that even the fall of SHIELD was all on her, after all it happened only days after Coulson handed her that badge.

May pulled on Daisy's hand, gaining her attention and snapping her out of her revelry. "None of this, absolutely none of this is your fault. Don't you dare let yourself think it is." She commanded almost as if she read the girl's mind. Daisy returned a weak smile.

How could this not be her fault? It all revolved around her. She looked back to the screen and the old woman who continued to tell her story. It was three months later, Wei Zhi said, that the intruders came. They came looking for the Devil's Daughter, demanding she be turned over to them or they would destroy everything. Jiaying laid several of them to waste before they were able to contain her. She struggled against their bondage, bargaining with them to spare her life. The doctor was away, gone with two men from the village to secure supplies. He was not there to see his bastard wife tell the soldiers that her child held more power than she did…that the baby would meet their needs and she would willingly hand her over. She nodded toward the hut in the center of the village. Their leader laughed saying his superior would be happy to have both of them. They bound her arms behind her and injected her with something that let her go limp in their arms then pushed her into a box that had only small holes for air and locked it tightly.

The leader cocked his head toward the hut ordering his men in a language that was not Mandarin or English to bring back the baby. The two soldiers returned a few minutes later shaking their heads. There was no baby. The hut was empty, but the woman was unconscious and the truck that held her strange cell had already driven away. Wei Zhi told of the small girl that had taken the child away, hiding her in the jungle outside the village. The little girl stood next to Wei Zhi and told her the baby was asleep that no one would find her. They hoped the men would leave, that they would believe that Jiaying was lying, trying to save herself from whatever they planned. It was not to be, they had found traces…evidence that an infant had been there and was now hidden. They demanded the baby be brought to them, but the villages merely mumbled among themselves shaking their heads and shrugging their shoulders. She remembered the staccato sound of the gun as it cut through the crowd. She remembered seeing the people, men, women, children cut down by the bullets. She remembered the screams as others ran.

Then there was another group. They too were soldiers of some sort, arriving too late to help those who lay on the soggy ground. The small girl who saved the baby lay with them. Wei Zhi too lay with the bloodied bodies, still and quiet watching in the darkness as the forces fought. The second group was outnumbered and out gunned, they were cut down quickly as the first invaders continued to go from living space to living space searching for the infant. After a while, there was no sound, no screaming, no gunfire, no shouting or whimpering. It was silent…dead silent and Wei Zhi let them believe she too was dead. She listened as the invaders got into their vehicles and drove away. She lay still, fearing they would return.

It was then she heard the cry of a hungry baby. It was clear in the silence of the night. If left alone surely the child would perish, starve or become fodder for some creature of the night. She tried to rise, to pull herself from the mud and bodies that held her to the spot, afraid they would hear and return. She heard another. Someone else was moving through the village. She could barely make out the form, could not tell if it was friend or foe. She could hear him…she knew it was a man…moving through the brush, breathing heavy and hard. Then the crying stopped and she knew he had found her. "Xiǎo tiānshǐ," Wei Zhi repeated the words she had begun her story with, 'little angel'. That was all she knew of the infant. The man stumbled off into the darkness with the child in his arms. She waited until all was silent then pulled herself free and hid in the tangle of vines and trees until those who had gone to the mountain returned.

There was no need to listen or to watch anymore. Coulson and May knew the rest. They knew about the team who arrived too late to help and found everyone in that village dead. They knew of the partners that found the baby asleep in the dead agent's arms, covered in blood and alone. There was no need to rehash the rest.

Fitz stopped the tape and flicked off the feed. Everyone sat in an uncomfortable silence, unsure what to say or how to begin discussing what they had just learned. Maybe they just needed time to digest it…or regurgitate it. It just seemed that the more Daisy learned about her past the worse things became.

She let out a long breath. "Fitz," Daisy exhaled. "We really need to get out of here. How about we go make some happy memories?"


	11. Chapter 11 - I Have Never Been Loved Lik

**Chapter 11**

 **I Have Never Been Loved Like This Before**

Daisy hadn't slept well. Her mind swirled with the tragic story of her beginning. She found herself in tears several times. She cried for the baby whose life was taken, whose life she was forced into by the crazed people who pirated her birth. She cried for May who ached with the loss of her child, who buried a tiny person in a foreign country and left her forgotten. She mourned for Coulson who kept the secret all her life never giving himself the time to grieve for his daughter. Her anger brewed to the point that her bed shook with it. Items rattled off the dresser to the floor before she was able to pull back her power.

Picturing Jiaying taking the life of one child and stealing the life of another brought nightmares so strong that May rushed into the room, waking her to stop the tremors that racked the already shaky base. The girl struggled to hide her embarrassment when May insisted on staying until she went back to sleep, then woke a few hours later to find the woman asleep on a chair a few feet from the bed. She laid back and smiled watching her mother, her real mother, sleep but found her own sleep elusive.

When someone insisted on waking her, on tapping her shoulder and calling her name it was no wonder she brushed them off with a cranky whine. The 'someone' persisted, resting a hand on her shoulder and gently shaking her, calling her from the sleep she so desperately needed, refused to release. In her befuddled state she realized she wasn't in her bed but seated with her head resting on her arms atop the table. She tried to pull herself awake. 'Damn, did I fall asleep during a briefing?' The thought swam around her fuzzy mind. She didn't even remember waking or finding her way to…to where?

She could hear laughter, several voices laughing…no giggling, giggling softly and someone shushing that sound away. That someone was very close to her and it was the same voice that insisted she wake up. _Laughing?_ Maybe, agents have been known to laugh especially if Coulson told one of his dorky jokes, but giggling… _giggling?_ Agents of SHIELD did not giggle.

Daisy tried to pick up her head but it felt heavy and hot. She turned it instead, forcing her eyes open attempting to focus but unsure what the hell she was looking at or why. It seemed to be a large purple and yellow caterpillar. 'Oh, gawd I must be stuck in some weird dream.' Daisy told herself as she rubbed her eyes on her forearm then looked again. The purple caterpillar was still there and for some reason she found it comforting. She really liked the purple caterpillar. A small smile crept across her face as she noticed it was wearing red sneakers on each pair of feet that poked out of its…its circular segments. It had big buggy eyes and green sparkly antennae. Daisy closed her own eyes and snorted silently. Of course it had buggy eyes, it was a bug.

The more she stared at the crazy bug, the more she realized it was some kind of advertisement but what the heck product was it hawking. She couldn't remember anything with a purple and yellow, red sneaker wearing caterpillar logo. Daisy closed her watery eyes and swallowed, immediately regretting the act as the pain in her throat traveled through her ears, along her jaw line and into her temples. She blinked the tears from her eyes and stared at the big caterpillar and its zigzaggy smile noticing for the first time the words above the silly creature. 'Second Graders are Hungry for Math!"

'That's just dumb.' She thought to herself, trying desperately to form a meaningful thought that wasn't full of giggling voices and annoying someones trying to make her move. 'You can't eat math and why would anyone put up such a dopey sign in the…the…' Where was she? This was not the common room. It was too bright…so many windows letting in so much sunshine. It was actually blinding. She turned her face into the hollow formed by her folded arms and tried to turn off all of the annoyance surrounding her.

"Come on, Skye. You need to come with me." A kind voice encouraged her as it took her hand and put a hand of its own under her arm to bring her to her feet.

Daisy hadn't even registered the name, she merely allowed herself to be lifted to her feet and shuffled along with whoever was taking her where ever. The 'someone' leaned her against them and held her up as they moved. The giggling had turned into a hushed silence. She could hear soft whispers as she and the 'someone' made their way along a row of some kind of small wooden tables. 'Odd,' she thought to have so many tables and only one person at each one.

"My ears hurt," she croaked, alarmed at the strange timbre in her voice. "I think I don't feel so good." She decided she wasn't going to talk anymore. Her voice was weird. It really hurt and she couldn't think straight. Everything was all mixed up.

The 'someone', who wore very nice sensible shoes because that was all she could see of her spoke softly and walked slowly. "I know sweetie. We're going to go see the nurse and call your mommy. Everything will be okay, I promise."

Daisy tried to stop but only managed to slow down a bit. "I don't have a mommy." She forced out her voice but it was no more than a hoarse whisper. "I have a May." She tried to smile, but even that seemed to hurt. She wasn't sure if the 'someone' heard her because her voice was so small and croaky.

The 'someone' didn't reply, simply patted her hand and continued to walk until they came to a large heavy wooden door. Daisy didn't remember this door. It had a funny window, the kind you can't see through and there were letters on it. She couldn't read them they were too high and wriggly. Everything seemed to be wriggly since her eyes were so watery, but she wasn't crying. Geez, were her eyes melting? Could eyes melt? Well…heads could catch on fire so why not? She didn't want her eyes to melt. She liked her eyes. She wanted to keep them, so she just closed them and hoped for the best. But where was this big door and why or why was it so big? She had to reach up to grab the doorknob.

The big door opened and the 'someone' stepped inside taking her along with them. Daisy kept her melting eyes closed but the smell was familiar. 'Use all your senses, Daisy.' May told her to use them all, to assess the situation with all of her senses. If she couldn't use one, use all the others and now smell was in charge. She breathed in the familiar scent of alcohol and aspirin…a doctor's office. A doctor's office meant shots…arm shots…butt shots…lots of shots. A distant panic set in.

"No! No!" Daisy forced her voice out. The strain of it hurt her throat and her ears. She pushed away from the woman who guided her to this room…this office. "Jemma? Jemma, I told you no more shots. I told you." The form of the person standing before her swam in the combination of watery eyes and the tears that now threatened to fall.

"Skye, honey, it's okay." That soft gentle voice tried to assure her. "It's just Mrs. Gavin. She's going to let you lie down and wait for mommy. I'm going to call her right now."

"Not Skye…Daisy, I'm Daisy now…" she cried as she looked up at the unfamiliar woman who held her wrists and smiled down at her.

"It's okay, honey." The other woman was saying. She was holding some kind of little wand in her hand and coming very close to her with it. Daisy backed away but was held in place by the large woman and the 'someone'. She felt something touch her ear then heard a soft beep. What had they done to her? Did they tag her? Insert some kind of brain altering device that would turn her into a zombie? Oh, gawd, did they have those Hive bugs? Did they put them back in her brain? No, no. Andrew saved her, the Hivensects couldn't hurt her again. He was gone.

"Come on, sweetheart, you need to lie down. You can sleep til mommy comes." The woman crooned as she placed her hand on Daisy's back and guided her into another small antiseptic smelling room.

Before she could protest both women were ushering her to a small cot and helping her to lie down. She wanted to fight them but she felt so crummy, so tired that the mattress felt too welcoming and she hated herself for giving up so easily. What the hell kind of agent was she?

She knew the women were speaking about her and didn't really care what they were saying. She closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her.

Coulson almost tumbled head over heels as he found himself rushing up a short flight of concrete stairs. He stopped at the top with one hand on the railing, looking from side to side and trying to figure out where the hell he was and where he was going in such a hurry. He looked up at the large building sprawling in front of him and noticed the rows of windows decorated with cornucopias and Pilgrim hats. He wasn't sure just where he was but he knew when he was.

'Thanksgiving?" He thought. Coulson was positive it was July when he woke this morning…when he met May and Daisy in the Cage and they once again entered Fitz's version of the Framework. Yes, the Framework…no the Fitzwork, that's where he was and this was… He looked around again at the Stars and Stripes blowing in the breeze at the top of a tall flagpole. He smiled at the jungle gym and grassy covered play area…and all those Pilgrims decorating the windows. This was a school…an elementary school… _Skye's_ elementary school.

He was standing in front of Skye's elementary school. He remembered dropping her off here yesterday. She started kindergarten. He stood and smiled at the memory, but what was he doing here now? It didn't appear to be dismissal time, it was much too quiet. He reached a hand to his head and massaged his throbbing temple. Skye…Skye was here…Skye was…. He couldn't think straight. Coulson released the railing and walked toward the front entrance. He stood in front of the door and hesitated before pressing the buzzer to request admittance.

"Yes?" The secretary's voice came through the small speaking above him.

"Phil Coulson," he answered. "I'm here about my daughter, Skye." He figured that was the best answer. Why else would he be at Skye's school except for Skye?

"One moment, please." The voice was pleasant…patient.

He waited the few seconds, shifting his weight from foot to foot wracking his brain for information. Was it this unrelenting pain that caused the confusion or was it his abrupt arrival to the scene or maybe a little bit of both? He thought about Skye…Skye was…she was…Skye was sick! Yes, that was it. The teacher had called. He had gotten the message during a morning briefing. He listened to it quickly as he darted down the hall making excuses for having to leave. He tried calling May but she was at the Academy reviewing new training techniques. May always answered her phone, but at the Academy cell service was sketchy. Things were strict and the administrators at black out times when no service was allowed. He knew May should be exempt but sometimes there were glitches in the system. He left her a message that he would go to the school and meet her at home.

So now he stood outside the school's door…waiting and remembering a memory created by a computer program and some…one of them allowing their brain to alter a vague memory. Yet all he could think about was Skye and Skye was sick. The teacher said she was feverish and drowsy. Coulson began pacing back and forth in front of the door. Skye was sick and why was it taking so long for the secretary to open it. He pressed the buzzer again.

"Yes, Mr. Coulson. I am sorry, just checking. Please come through the double doors and left into the main office." A loud scratchy tone sounded and the door unlatched. Coulson pulled it open and in seconds was standing in front of the woman he had spoken to while standing outside.

"Skye is sick," he informed her. "Miss Wicks called…"

"MissWicks?" She seemed confused. "Are you sure?"

Coulson stopped for a moment. "I'm sorry no, no I'm not. I got a message. I just assumed…"

The secretary smiled. "It was her teacher, Mrs. Collins that made the call." Coulson nodded a smile. He could have sworn the teacher's name was Wicks. The secretary stepped from behind the counter. "Let me take you to the nurse's office, Mr. Coulson." She put out an arm indicating he should step into the hall.

Phil carried his drowsy little girl to the car and buckled her into a booster seat. He drove home slowly, hoping that May had gotten the message and would meet him there or at least show up soon after they arrived. Skye hadn't woken up when he took her from the cot in the nurse's office. She'd slept through the conversation they'd had as well. Mrs. Gavin, the middle aged nurse told him she'd used an ear thermometer and it registered one hundred one. She hadn't given Skye anything for the fever since she had been asleep almost from the moment she laid down. The nurse did mention that Skye was mumbled some odd things like telling them she didn't have a mommy, repeatedly asking for someone named Jemma and telling them her name was Daisy now. She eyed Phil suspiciously…no accusingly.

"Geez, Daisy," he spoke to the Skye version of his daughter, looking in the rearview mirror to check on her for the, he lost count of how many times. "You've got the school nurse thinking I'm two timing your mother with our senior scientist and forcing you to use an alias." It was almost funny.

He pulled into the driveway of their home and shut off the ignition, disappointed at not seeing May's car already there. "Come on, Fitz, whadya do with May? I really need her." He spoke to the absent scientist as if he were seated next to him, ignoring the throbbing in his own head. Phil stepped from the car, opened the back door, unbuckled the seat belt and lifted his limp little girl from her seat.

Daisy lifted her head and opened one eye. "Coulson?" She seemed surprised. It was Coulson. She smiled as she laid her head on his shoulder. They were moving but she couldn't feel her feet. He was holding her up…no he was holding her… _carrying_ her? Coulson was carrying her. She wanted to struggle, to have him put her down. She wasn't a baby, an invalid, she could walk on her own but it felt good against his chest with his arms around her like she was a little kid…like he was her dad and he was carrying her and she was safe. "Coulson," she whispered and patted his back with one of her hands.

He laid her on her bed. It was her bed. It was her room. She recognized the blue walls and the daisies and the book shelf. She recognized the smell of the fabric softener that mommy used when she washed her sheets and blankets. She recognized Ling-a-ling. Coulson was speaking to her and he was taking her shoes off and her socks. He was saying something about May coming soon and that she'd know what to do. He was apologizing for being a dad and not a mom. She just smiled at him and hugged her stuffed dog.

"I'm sick, Coulson." She croaked then whined at the pain it caused.

"You are." He agreed as she sat her up and lifted her uniform golf polo over her head.

She felt her arms go up and then drop down. She pushed her sweaty hair away from her face and didn't care that she now sat in nothing more than a camisole and her panties, not even remembering when he took her skirt. He picked her up and held her on his lap, placed his lips on her forehead and rocked her a bit before pulling back her blankets and then laying her in her bed. He pulled the sheet over her and then he was gone. She missed him immediately. Daisy would have cried, but it just hurt too much.

"Okay, Dai…Skye," Coulson corrected himself as he sat her up again. "Take this for me, mommy will be here soon." He held something to her lips and she took a sip. It tasted weird, like cherry syrup with something pungent mixed it. Gawd, was he giving her some kind of cocktail? She pushed it away. It hurt to swallow. She didn't want it. "Come on, angel, you need to take this to help you feel better." He held it to her again. Daisy hesitated a moment and thought about Simmons with her damn butt shots. Maybe if she drank this…

"Tell Jemma no shots…no butt shots, kay Coulson? Tell her?" It was hard to talk but she needed him to promise. And she just couldn't stop crying.

He almost laughed as he brushed away her hot tears. "No shots, sweetie. No Jemma. Not right now, I promise."

She took the small cup and swallowed the rest of the horrid liquid. Coulson took the small plastic container and placed it on the nightstand then began to lower the little girl back to her pillow. Daisy grabbed his sleeves.

"Daddy," she cried, pulling herself closer to him, climbing out from the blankets to curl up in his lap. He was daddy, not Coulson…daddy…her daddy. Not a bad man who stole her and lied to her and let that mean scary lady take her away. Coulson was daddy and she needed to hold on to him. Daisy was just too tired to keep fighting this. "I'm Skye now, right daddy." She spoke only with her breath, no sound came out…sound hurt her throat and her ears.

Coulson rubbed her back and felt the heat radiating from her little body. He lifted her to his shoulder and walked across the room to look out the window, hopefully seeing May's car pulling into the driveway. "Yes, angel eyes, you're Skye, now. Shhhhh." He kissed the top of her head as he walked the room a few times and felt the little girl go limp in his arms, her breathing slow and steady but when he tried to put her back into bed she continued to cling and whimper. After three attempts he gave up and fell into the rocking chair that had been in her room since she was an infant and rocked her like he wished he'd been able to do so many years ago. He kissed her temple and knew that she felt just as warm if not warmer than she had before he'd given her the Motrin®

Melinda dropped her keys in the small dish on the mantle in the foyer and hurried up the stairs to her daughter's room. She'd gotten Coulson's message about an hour after it was left and then spent the next rushing through a training exercise and explaining to the instructor that she had to leave due to an emergency. SHEILD had very few agents with families and almost none with small children. That was something agents had to forgo in order to dedicate their lives to the agency. She and Coulson were exceptions, granted this one faux pas by a director who for some reason felt they were worth it. He did, however, damn their stupidity at every opportunity but never in front of Skye. The fact was the man adored the little girl and had worked out a contingency plan in the event the unimaginable happened. Both May and Coulson were certain that Skye would always be cared for no matter what happened.

Today Fury was the least of Melinda's worries. Skye was sick. She'd had two additional voice messages since the first and Phil sounded panicked. Of course, he always thought it was worse than it was, like the time Skye skinned her knee on the driveway and he wondered if a trip to the ER was necessary. He'd joked about it later, saying he was just trying to lighten the situation with a little humor, but he seemed pretty serious at the time. Luckily they had enough first aid cream and a large enough bandage to remedy the situation.

Melinda stepped into Skye's room. Phil sat in the rocker with the little girl on his lap. She was clad only in her undergarments and both were asleep although Phil's foot still moved back and forth to keep the chair in motion. He opened his eyes as soon as she moved toward them.

"I heard you come in." He whispered over Skye's head. At her look, he explained. "She won't let me put her down."

Melinda brushed back the child's sweaty hair and frowned at her flushed cheeks. "Did you give her anything?"

Phil nodded toward the bottle of Motrin™ still on the nightstand. "The nurse took her temp at school but she feels warmer to me." He looked down at the scantily dressed child. "I tried to keep her cool." Phil could feel the little girl's warmth through his own clothing.

Melinda reached out her arms and Phil stood to pass their child into them. Skye look a deep breath and turned her head toward her mother's voice. Just the sight of mommy brought her once again to tears as she released her grip on Phil and latched on to Melinda.

Melinda pressed her lips against the little girl's head and looked at her partner. "I don't suppose you took her temperature." She stated almost teasing him. She smiled at the blush on his cheeks.

"Well, no…she was asleep and I didn't want to disturb her besides the nurse used one of those ear thingies at school." Phil shrugged as Melinda walked out the door carrying the small girl.

"You know those things are worthless, right?" She called over her shoulder. She grinned at him when she returned shaking the glass bulb thermometer in her hand, looked at it, then shook it again.

Phil shrugged again and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I don't know, Mel. The woman is a nurse and she seemed to trust it."

"Do I need to remind you what happened when _we_ trusted that damn thing?" She snarled at Phil as she laid Skye on her tummy and shushed her whimpering. "Do you want a repeat of that? Because I sure as hell, don't." Melinda spoke as she continued her work. Phil cringed, but moved to pat the little girl's back and whisper in her ear while mom did the dirty work.

"One hundred three point three," she announced holding up the thermometer for him to see, although it was almost impossible as the numbers were so teeny and she was shaking it at him.

Phil took Skye back into his arms and comforted her, patting her backside and rubbing back at the same time, just as he did when she was a baby and he walked the floor with her. No he absolutely did not want a repeat of the horrible night they rushed her by ambulance to the hospital. The night that the ear thermometer they had recently purchased flashed a temp of ninety nine point eight when they touched it to the ear of their screaming twenty-month old. 'Teething', the doctor had said. 'Two year old molars', he said. 'Not to worry, a little Tylenol™ and she'll be fine."

By the time Melinda hung up the phone their baby was convulsing in his arms. How he even remembered First Aid training that night was beyond his imagination but he laid her on the floor and turned her to her side. The look of panic in Melinda's eyes was worse that the feeling in his gut. Skye's eyes were rolled back in her head as she jerked and twisted. All they could do was keep her from hurting herself and dial 911. The ambulance arrived in minutes and their tiny daughter was whisked away on a stretcher. The ER doctor told them her temperature was close to one hundred four. It had caused the seizure and put her in the hospital for three days. A week later they were being educated on the likelihood that it could happen again and the ear thermometer was in pieces at the bottom of the kitchen trash can. They also had a new pediatrician since the one who had told them not to worry would no longer see Skye especially after Melinda had knocked him cold when he entered the hospital room with a smile on his face. The man never had a chance to speak and Phil could not move fast enough to prevent it.

He hugged Skye closer and thought again. No, he did not want a repeat of that horrific night. She'd never had another seizure and Melinda had reverted to her mother's method of accurate temperature taking. Phil felt it was quite invasive, but Melinda and her mother insisted it was imperative that every reading be consistent and accurate. For once he and William agreed and unless it was life threatening refused to take part in the procedure, leaving it to mom and Nǎinai*. While William excused himself all together, Phil at least provided moral support.

Melinda was on the phone with the doctor as Phil rocked their little girl side to side and listened to the half-conversation. When she hung up she looked at him and let out a soft breath. "He wants to see her now. He thinks it could be strep or tonsillitis. She turned from him and opened Skye's closet doors pulled out a simple dress and reached for her daughter.

A few hours later they were back home with a diagnosis and a bottle of pink bubblegum flavored penicillin. Skye was treated for bacterial tonsillitis which probably would have cleared up on its own in a few days, but with her propensity for high fevers and the pain she was in, it was an easy choice. Giving her a shot was not so easy. Although her protests were less manic than usual, she did have to be held by daddy once again and left whimpering in 'mortal pain'. Now, she slept peacefully, tucked in her own bed still flushed but hovering between ninety nine and one hundred. Melinda was satisfied with that and would continue to make sure the fever did not get worse.

Daisy let go of her thoughts around the time Coulson gave her that disgusting cocktail. She felt miserable and was content to let Skye take the reins although she did feel a bit guilty for letting a little kid deal with whatever the hell was happening to her…them. She was too sick to juggle pronouns. Skye wasn't feeling any better but was content to wrap herself around daddy and sleep in her rocker with him.

Mommy was there too, kissing her and holding her and talking to her in soft quite words. Telling her in Mandarin that everything would be okay and she would feel better soon. She hated that thermometer thing but was hurting too much to put up a fuss. She just gave in and just for those few minutes she let go…she let that Daisy voice person be in charge. Skye didn't understand the Daisy lady in her head but she knew it was okay to trust her and to let her do the thinking and the feeling sometimes. That worked out great when Skye didn't want to deal with something, she kinda felt guilty about it but at the same time she knew that Daisy was her and she was Daisy so it wasn't like she wasn't dealing at all. So when mommy took out that nasty little thing and shook it, Skye slipped under the radar and pushed Daisy right out front…or back as the case may have been. She tried to do the same thing when the doctor said she needed a shot but somehow she and Daisy got all mixed together and even the two of them were not as strong as Daddy so they ended up with that damn butt shot anyway. Skye smiled as she pulled Ling-a-ling into a tight squeeze.

Daisy said 'damn' a lot. She knew she'd get in a lot of trouble with mommy for using that word, but when Daisy said it... well then it sounded perfect and she liked it a lot. She thought if it slipped out she would just tell her parents that it was Daisy that said it, not her. Then she thought again and it seemed to be a much better idea to keep her Daisy self a secret.

Daisy wondered if it were possible to whack your kid-self, then figured it would not be great for either of them if the kid started smacking herself. They might end up sticking her in a loony bin. Did they even have loony bins for kids? She plotted different ways to get the kid in trouble…oh, and she could really do that, she had a lot of experience. If she caused enough ruckus no nonsense May might just take her over her knee again. That would teach her, but the little hooligan had figured out how to manipulate who was in charge and seemed to have the upper hand at it. She certainly proved it with the thermometer fiasco, but Daisy refused to be the guinea pig for the penicillin injection. They shared that humiliation. Daisy reconsidered and could swear she heard her little kid self laughing. If Skye ended up on the backside of May's discipline for extreme misbehavior it would be Daisy that would suffered the consequences.

For a while Daisy and Skye lay in the silence relieved that most of the pain had subsided. They pretty much called a truce. Daisy remembered the few times she'd been sick as a child, well, the few times she was sick enough for someone to notice. Mostly, she just kept her aches and pains to herself. Foster parents didn't really want to deal with sick kids or at least that's what the other kids told her. They told her to be quiet and not to cry and not to complain about the food or the clothes or the anything. She'd get to stay longer that way, but she never really stayed longer than two or three months before they moved her again. Daisy understood now, but then it just hurt.

She remembered having a high fever and being left in the infirmary so the other kids wouldn't get sick. It was dark and scary and she hated the smell of the alcohol and the aspirin. She really hated the smell of aspirin. Tylenol didn't smell, either did Motrin, but aspirin…yech! Daisy didn't remember anyone other than a doctor taking her temperature and it was always with one of those ear thingies. She didn't know there were other ways to take it…well, now she did but then it was ear or nothing. She rarely took medicine because they said she'd get better on her own and she did so she guessed it was fine. No one patted her back or shushed her in any language. She just got better on her own. She learned not to tell anyone if she felt crummy because it only caused them to frown at her and be put out because she needed extra attention.

"It's okay, Daisy." She heard Skye's little voice in her head. For the first time her kid self was talking directly to her. The kid knew she was there. "It really is okay. Mommy and Daddy love us lots and lots and they'll _never_ leave you alone. Me and you are mixed up together and they love both of us cuz they love me and I'm you."

Okay, that sounded weird, little kid logic kinda weird. "You know you keep this up they'll be calling us Sybil." Daisy laughed in her mind to Skye.

"Only we know about us, Daisy," Skye assured her. "But Mommy and Daddy wouldn't care they'll love us anyway."

"Yeah," Daisy wondered. "How do you know?"

She felt Skye shrug. "I just know. I know they love me so I know they love you. It's not like before when you were all alone in that place or with all those other people. It's different now cuz they're with you."

Daisy stopped thinking. Skye knew…she knew about St. Agnes, about foster homes. What the heck did Fitz plug into this kid?

"I know cuz you know, Daisy. Nobody told me. I think your thinks and remember your memories just like you have mine. Like the bicycle and the day we went to kindergarten. I knew you were there then too, but I was afraid to talk to you."

"Hey baobei," Melinda's voice cut into their conversation. She moved into the room with a small tray and set it on the desk across from the bed. "You awake?"

Skye rolled to her back and blinked at her mother. She reached out her arms and Melinda immediately pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Feeling better?" She whispered into the little girl's ear and felt her quick nod.

"Little bit," Skye smiled, her voice still quiet and deep.

"You've been sleeping a very long time, almost a whole day." Melinda rested her hand on the little girl's head then pressed her lips there. Skye was cooler but still feverish, her cheeks still flushed. She'd slept from not long after they'd returned from the doctor's office and through the night. After the shot she did not need to start her prescription for twenty four hours. Melinda had given her Motrin twice during the night without bringing her fully awake.

"I brought you some soup. You think you might eat a little bit? I've got some of Yéyé's special tea, too. He's downstairs."

"Yéyé's here?" The little girl spoke into her mother's embrace, still holding on, refusing to lie back against her pillow.

Melinda smiled as she held her daughter back to look into her eyes. "Yep, he's worried about you and he's coming up to sit with you as…"

"Mommy, will you always love me?" Skye asked suddenly, stopping Melinda mid-sentence.

"Yǒngyuǎn," Melinda answered placing a kiss on the child's warm brow.

"Forever and always," Skye translated and Daisy thought. "What if I do something bad?"

Melinda smiled at her little manipulator. "I probably wouldn't be happy, but I'd still love you. Why did you do something I should know about?"

"No, mommy," Skye smiled as she wriggled back into her mother's arms. "I just wondered." She snuggled into Melinda and let out a content sigh. Daisy felt the warmth that surrounded all of them. Skye was determined to let her adult self know just how much mommy cared. "What if I grow up and change and be somebody really different? What if I'm not the same?"

"Daddy and I will still love you, no matter what." Melinda smiled wondering where all of this was coming from and why now.

"But what if I'm really different, even have a different name?" Skye asked with wide eyes as she looked up at her mother.

"You can call yourself whatever you want, baobei, but you will always be my Skye," Melinda assured her, placing a soft kiss on the end of her nose.

Skye looked down and frowned. She spoke just above a whisper. "What if somebody bad makes me do really awful things and I'm a terrible person?" She looked up at her mother, the question still lingering in her gaze.

Melinda looked deep into her little girl's eyes. "Skye, it would take something beyond all of us to make you be a terrible person, but I would still love you and daddy and I would do whatever we had to do to get you away from that person." She tapped the little girl's chest. "You are a good person and nothing can change that Skye. No matter what happens, you always have to remember that."

Daisy listened to the conversation between Skye and her (no, their) mother. Skye was asking about things that had not yet happened to her and at the same time letting Daisy know nothing would change the way mommy and daddy felt about them.

"What if I run away?" Skye looked so sad that Daisy felt she would cry.

"I would never stop looking for you. Daddy and I would move heaven and earth to find you, even if it took forever. We would find you and bring you home."

"What if you didn't remember me? What if you didn't remember you loved me?"

 _Gawd, this kid even remembered the Framework._

"As soon as I saw you, as soon as daddy saw you we would know who you were but Skye, we would never, never ever forget we loved you. That is something that no one could change or take away." Melinda pulled the little girl close and squeezed her tightly. "Where's all this coming from, xiǎo gūniáng**?"

Skye shrugged her shoulders. "I was just wondering about stuff." She spoke into Melinda's embrace. "Mommy," she waited for Melinda to reply with a smile. "What if there was two of me?"

Melinda laughed out loud. "Twins? Oh wow, two Skyes. I don't know if we could handle two of you, my wángù de xiǎo hóuzi***." She hugged her tightly.

Skye frowned _(so did Daisy)._ "You wouldn't love both of us?" Both versions of the girl felt a sharp pang of rejection. It was new to Skye but familiar to Daisy. She knew that ache all too well and fought to protect her little kid self from it.

"Oh, baobei, I would love both of you. I love you twice as much." Melinda quickly assured the little girl, seeing the tears forming in her eyes. She kissed the little girl's forehead and suspected her fever had not yet completely broken. Maybe all these crazy questions were part of that. "I think you are just putting things off, aren't you?" Melinda ran her fingers over the little girl's ribs causing her to squirm and giggle. "You feel a little warm, so let's take your temperature and then Yéyé has a special book to share with you."

"I'm not warm, mommy," Skye hedged as she pushed back and looked up at Melinda. "It's all these covers."

"Uh huh, well, let's just make sure." Melinda smiled as she tucked Skye's hair behind her ear. "Three minutes and we're all done.

Skye frowned as she laid back and shook her head, watching her mother shake down the mercury in the thermometer. She pulled the blanket up to her nose to hide the smile that tickled her lips.

"Don't you dare!" Daisy warned. "Rotten kid, you stay right there. You're not doing this to me again."

Skye drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. Melinda smiled at her, shaking her head and reaching to pull down the blanket. "One, two, three and we're done."

The little girl nodded as she rolled away from her mother. "It's okay, Daisy. I'm right here with you. I won't leave you alone. Me and you can be wángù de xiǎo hóuzi together." Skye wasn't speaking out loud. She was think talking to Daisy the same way Daisy think talked to her.

Daisy jumped as she felt the warm little hand wrap around her own. How the hell was this possible? Maybe it was the fever. Maybe none of this was real, computer real or real real. Maybe she was so sick she couldn't tell the difference. The little hand squeezed harder.

"We'll stay together, forever and always. Yǒngyuǎn, Daisy. It'll be better this time, Daisy. I promise." Skye smiled up at her big self. "You aren't dreaming or sick. We're really here, me and you."

Daisy wasn't sure if it was possible but she tried anyway and found herself embracing her little kid self and her little self hugging her back. It was probably the weirdest feeling she'd ever had.

"I love you, Daisy." The little girl whispered in her ear.

* grandma

** little girl

*** stubborn little monkey

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Question for readers...

Skye and Daisy are now fully aware of each other and consciously communicate. Shall I continue to have them banter back and forth or combine them as one? Any thoughts?


	12. 12 - Time Flies, Except When it Doesn't

**Chapter 12**

 **Time Flies, Except When It Doesn't**

Daisy sat for a long time, just staring out the window of what used to be Coulson's office. Now it was storage for everything they salvaged from the wreckage of what used to be. It had taken months to make the repairs they had and still they were mostly living in rubble. She recalled watching television newscasts about the war in the Middle East when she was child and wondered how people could live in those broken houses. Now she understood, but today her mind was miles away.

It was hard to think of yourself as two people especially when one was an adult and the other a child. She guessed that Skye must have been about seven or eight on her last trip into the 'Fitzwork'. How old would she be today or tomorrow? Would she remember? Heck the kid was pretty sick. Maybe it was all a fever dream. Yep, that was probably it. It took three days for Daisy's fever to break after they brought her back. Maybe it was _her_ fever dream. Maybe the whole thing was a dream and none of it really happened.

"Everyone's looking for you," May's voice was stern but not angry. She stepped next to the girl and looked out at the snowy landscape. "Pretty isn't it?" May actually smiled. Daisy didn't.

"Was I…was Skye…I…we…" Daisy shook her head. Those damn pronouns. She had no idea how to refer to herself or her kid self or both of them together.

"Coulson and I have been calling you Skidaisy." She turned up one side of her mouth. "Dorky, huh? But it is easier." She bumped the girl with her shoulder and Daisy tried a small grin as she nodded.

"Sick, was I really sick _there_ or just here?" She finally got out.

May stared at the girl for a moment. "Don't you remember?"

Daisy shrugged. "I'm not really sure what I remember. It's kinda fuzzy." May put a hand on the girl's forehead and Daisy resisted the urge to pull away. She only rolled her eyes and blew out a quick breath. "I'm really okay, May, just confused…a little." She spoke to the older agent from under the hand on her head.

May brought her hand back and tilted her head at the girl. "You were sick there, Daisy. Skye was very sick. I was worried."

Daisy furrowed her brow. "You remember?"

May let out a small laugh, that most might consider a huff of disgust. "Of course I do, Daisy. I remember everything. Don't you?"

"Mostly," Daisy squirmed a little. "I think I just don't _want_ to remember some of it." She tried to hide the flush on her face. May nodded and for a moment both simply watched the snowy sky outside the window. "When you're in there are you…you?" Daisy broke the silence. "I mean are you just one you or are you you there and you here at the same time?" If that sounded as weird to May as it did to Daisy she'd be threatening to take her temperature again.

May frowned at the girl then answered. "When I'm there I am exactly who you see and hear. I'm a mother raising a little girl that I adore. I'm there one hundred percent. I see and I hear and I feel everything that's happening. When I'm here I remember what happened like I remember the things that happened to me in the past. The memories are a bit more vivid but they fade as time goes by but I don't forget completely. Do you?"

"No," Daisy answered a bit too quickly.

May thought about Phil's migraines and wondered if something similar was affecting Daisy. She'd been pretty sick when they brought her out a few days ago. Fitz had refused to let any of them back into the Cage until Simmons gave the girl a clean bill of health. Coulson had snuck off with the young doctor to undergo some tests of his own, all of which came back perfectly normal. His severe headaches remained a mystery and a secret from his long lost daughter.

"Is there a problem, something you're not telling me?" May was concerned. Daisy recognized the change in her tone and shook her head quickly. "Tell me." The woman said simply, seeing through the girl's bluff.

"She talks to me May and I can talk to her." Daisy mumbled, suddenly feeling very much like a child who'd been caught in a misdeed. "She knows I'm there and she remembers things that haven't even happened to her. They happened to _me_." The girl looked to May for some kind of…well something, but she wasn't sure just what that was.

May was stunned for a millisecond before she smiled at the younger agent. "I guess that isn't surprising. I don't think even Fitz could squeeze you into a child's body."

"But it is me or her or us? We're together and separate at the same time. Mostly I was just watching I guess, but that last time we actually had a conversation." She raised her eyebrows almost into her hair line. "She held my hand, May." Daisy held out the hand and stared at it. "Either that or that thing has fried my brain." She spoke softly, afraid May would put a stop to the memories they were creating together.

"Is it hurting you?" May took the girl's hand and looked into her eyes.

Daisy shook her head and stared at the woman's hand holding her own. "No, it's just a little scary talking to yourself and getting an answer. But how does she know all of what happened to me? She says she remembers what I do." Daisy shook her head.

"She _is_ you, Daisy. She's just a little version of you." May reassured her.

"But a little kid shouldn't have to think about those things, May." Daisy sighed.

"She sees you, Daisy. She knows she can and will survive it all." May explained.

Daisy thought for a moment then nodded. "Maybe she just has to grow into me."

"I'm not saying it isn't a bit strange, but this whole thing is strange. You just need to promise me that if it gets too much for you, you'll let me know." May raised that one eyebrow giving an unspoken threat. Daisy smiled as she nodded. "Promise me, Daisy."

The girl crossed her finger over her chest. "Cross my heart." She smiled.

Two hours later the women met Coulson and FitzSimmons in the Cage. Everyone had been given their medical releases although Daisy did notice the glares Jemma was shooting Coulson and made it a point to ask when they returned.

"I will be monitoring your body temperature, Daisy." Simmons informed the girl as she fit the head gear to her. "If it rises even slightly above normal we will start bringing you out. We are not taking any chances. Last time was quite frightening."

Daisy nodded her agreement as she lay back and closed her eyes immediately feeling Skye's excitement.

"Look at me, Daddy! Watch what I can do!" Skye squealed as she leapt from the diving board and splashed into the clear water below.

Coulson pressed a hand to his head and smiled at the little girl's accomplishment. He watched as she paddled to the ladder and climbed out running to him while shaking the water from her hands. She blinked the drips off her eye lashes. "Did you see me dive, Daddy? Did you? I wasn't scared even a little bit."

"I know," Coulson smiled as he wrapped a towel around his daughter and rubbed it on her arms and back. "You were great."

Skye shrugged off the towel. "You wanna see it again?" She was running for the diving board before he could answer.

The world seemed to wobble for a moment and Coulson felt he would lose consciousness but suddenly found himself seated in the family kitchen with a newspaper spread across the table in front of him. May sat on the opposite side, drumming her fingers on the table top. He recognized her impatience but could not imagine what it was about or who.

"So, what's your answer?" Melinda demanded in her calm quiet way.

Coulson was stumped. He had no idea how to answer because he had no idea what he'd been asked, but she was irked and that was never a good thing. "I need to think about it a little longer." He hedged.

Melinda slammed her hand on the table and stood. "Think? How much longer do you have to think about this, Phil? We've been over it a hundred times. If you don't have some kind of input I will take care of it my way. She's been pushing the envelope for days and I have had it."

Oh, okay they were discussing Skye. What the heck did she do now? It had to be something big to have Melinda this upset. "She's just a kid, Mel." He tried not to whine at his partner.

Melinda spun on him and spoke through her teeth. "Don't pull that excuse on me, Phil. It won't work."

"Why don't you just let me talk to her?" He suggested.

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because Melinda simply pushed past him and headed for the stairs. "We've talked enough, Phil." She growled as she stormed by. He reached for her arm but it passed through only air.

Again there was a slight wobble as the scene reset and Phil found himself staring at the engine of his beloved Corvette.

"Daddy!" Skye's scream startled him so much that he bounced his head off the car's hood. That only added to the already throbbing pain.

The memory of Melinda marching off to do whatever, was fresh in his mind as the little girl screamed again. He pressed his hand to the top of his head then brought it back and checked for blood. Nothing, thank god.

"Daddy, Daddy!" Skye's screams were getting closer. He let the hood of the car drop gently and turned toward the little girl's voice.

Stepping into the sunshine outside the garage he watched as his daughter ran across the driveway toward him. She held one hand out in front of her. "Look, Daddy. My tooth came out. It finally came out. Look! Mommy says it is perfect. Do you think the tooth fairy will like it?"

Skye was so excited she was speaking to him without even expecting an answer. He squatted down to examine the tiny tooth she held. He took her wrist in his hand and smiled at his daughter's exuberance. Before he could speak the familiar wobble happened again.

He still held Skye's wrist but now she was crying and as the world came back into focus he realized they were in an emergency room. Melinda sat on an examination table with Skye in her lap. The little girl held her arm close to her body and sobbed uncontrollably as he held her opposite hand.

"It hurts, daddy. It hurts so much." Skye wept.

He looked at the abrasion on her chin and wracked his brain to remember how his child had been hurt.

"Don't let them hurt me daddy, please. Don't let them take me. I want to go home, please Mommy." She was close to hysterics.

Melinda shushed and kissed her little girl but looked at Phil with that stare that meant she knew it was not good. A young nurse stepped around the curtain and held a small cup of red liquid out to Melinda.

"I know Skye is a little scared and that her arm is really hurting, but maybe if she drinks this she might feel a bit better."

Melinda took the cup but Skye was already shaking her head. "I don't want it, Mommy. I just want to go home."

Daisy couldn't take it anymore, her Skye self was losing it. 'Hey kid,' she think talked to her. 'I'm right here with you and wow this really hurts like hell. It's probably just Tylenol™.'

"It's not, it's not Tylenol. I don't want it. I want to go home, mommy. Take me home." Now the little girl was actually screaming.

'How 'bout you let me take this one, kid. I'll handle it. I think our arm is broken. You climbed that tree didn't you? Fell just like I did, but mommy and daddy aren't mad at you and you aren't gonna get in trouble, I promise. Let _me_ drink the stuff and I promise whatever happens I will take care of it.'

Melinda handed the cup to Phil and rocked Skye a bit, whispering to her in Mandarin and kissing her head. "You need to drink this, baobei. It will help. Just take a little sip."

Skye quieted down, letting her sobs turn into sniffles. She looked up at her father who smiled at her funny as he held the cup to her lips and helped her to sip it slowly. He leaned closed and kissed the side of her head close to her ear as he whispered. "Thank you, Daisy. She'll be okay now." He leaned back and smiled again. She drank the last of the sweet liquid and looked up at him.

The medicine worked very fast and Skye suddenly felt woozy. Melinda stood and laid her on the gurney but kept her little girl's hand in her own. Skye blinked a few times at her father smiling down at her. "Coulson," she whispered, "you kn…" She was asleep before she could finish the thought.

When Daisy woke, her arm was covered with a bright pink cast that reached from her shoulder to her fingertips. She already knew her arm was broken in three places. She remembered climbing that damn tree in front of St. Agnes just to show that dumb Tyler that she could. She kept going higher and higher until the crack and then she was on the ground in more pain she had felt up to that point in her life. Sr. Michelene had rushed to her side and told her not to move. Sr. Regina told her that God punished her for not listening and going up there in the first place. She didn't want to cry that day, didn't want the other kids to think she was a baby but it hurt so much she couldn't help it.

They took her to the hospital and the doctor said he'd have to operate to set the bones. She was terrified but told no one. She just wanted the pain to stop. One of the nurses gave her a shot and she went sleep waking up just like now…but no, not like now because now May and Coulson were there.

Coulson stood in his shirt sleeves, arms crossed over his chest, looking out the window. The sky was dark so Daisy knew some time had passed. He rocked back and forth on his feet and appeared to be deep in thought. May stood with her back to both of them. She was stirring a small cup of tea set on the table-like shelf against the opposite wall.

Daisy remained still and quiet, watching her parents. Skye was still fighting the effects of the anesthesia or just unwilling to wake to the pain. Daisy was very used to pain, especially these days. It seemed every time some bruise or gash healed she had another to take her place. There was a spot on the right side of her lip that she felt was perpetually split. Beside, since gaining her powers she was almost used to the fractures that crawled up her arms on a regular basis. So, she was happy to let Skye sleep.

"I'm having that damn tree cut down in the morning." Phil announced without turning to face his partner.

Melinda turned and shook her head as she took a sip of the hot liquid. "She'll just find another one to climb, Phil. You can't protect her from the world."

Phil turned and walked to the side of the bed. Daisy struggled to keep her breath slow and deep, to not give herself away then smiled. She didn't need to work very hard at it. Skye _was_ asleep. She was just observing.

"I never want to see her in that much pain again." Phil took the little girl's uninjured hand in his own and squeezed her little fingers.

"I don't either," Melinda agreed, "but growing up means getting through a lot of bumps and bruises. She'll be okay, Phil." She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around one of his, resting her cheek on his shoulder. "The doctor said it was a clean break and it's been set. A few weeks in that cast and she'll be back to her wild self."

"Mommy…" Skye's voice was small and weepy. Melinda was there immediately, sitting on the bed next to her little girl, brushing her hair from her face and shushing her gently.

"Mommy and Daddy are right here, baobei." She assured her daughter.

"You won't leave us? Ever?" Skye spoke with her eyes still closed as she nuzzled into her mother's touch.

Phil smiled as Melinda bent down to kiss the little girl's head. "Never, ever, baobei."

"We love you, mommy." Skye mumbled as she drew a deep breath and drifted back to sleep.

Melinda smiled at the child then up at Phil. "I think she is out for the night, probably all the pain meds."

She stood and moved close to Phil slipping under his arm and wrapping her arms around his waist. She rested her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"What's with the 'we', mommy." He smiled.

Melinda smiled and closed her eyes. "She does that every once and a while when she's over tired.

Phil rested his head against the top of hers and for the first time in weeks the pain in his head vanished.

xx

Phil wasn't sure if the flash he saw was real or if it were a glitch in Fitz's programming but he had no issue recognizing the staccato rhythm of gunfire. He pressed himself closer to the wall in the small room he found himself and leaned slightly toward the window. His action brought only more gunfire. Finally feeling the weapon in his hand he quickly ejected the clip and counted the rounds left. He patted his pocket and felt the relief of at least two more full clips there.

Slowly he realized where he was…when he was, some long forgotten mission to some godforsaken place outside of Gronzy just before the end of the second Chechen war. He and May had gone after some 084 the guerillas were using to terrorize the enemy as well as their own people. The fighting had been brutal and both of them barely made it out, neither without being wounded.

They'd held out in some abandoned Russian bunker for three days before the extraction team arrived, both wounded and each encouraging the other to hold on…with whatever means necessary. Phil looked down at his body, his clothing…no blood…no pain. And where the hell was May? He shook his head and dropped to all fours, crawling under the glassless window to the other side of the room. He wracked his brain trying to remember how or why they were separated and was that when she was wounded. Had this frame changed the circumstances and left her alone. The bullets ricocheted again and Phil pressed himself against the wall. He needed to see who and what he was shooting at…needed to get to a place where he had just a bit better advantage.

The door slammed against the wall with a loud bang. Phil spun toward it, gun raised and cocked to take out whoever walked through.

xx

"It's four days, Yéyé, zhǐyǒu sì tiān. They promised they'd be here before Christmas." Skye leaned her arms on the window frame and stared across the moonlit lawn.

"Yes, Sūnnǚ, sì tiān." William May smiled sadly at his forlorn granddaughter. "I can count as well as you and you exaggerate, baobei. Your parents made no such promise." He turned toward the scantily decorated pine tree and placed a small glass ball on a fragrant branch. "Are you going to help me with this or listen to your Nǎinai criticize our work when she arrives tomorrow?"

Skye flipped around and slid into a pouty slouch on the sofa below the window. "I don't feel very much like decorating." She sighed, "not without Daddy." She half smiled as her grandfather looked at her with a mock-hurt look. She dropped to the cushions and lay on her side staring at the older man. "Wǒ ài nǐ, Yéyé," she reassured him with very little conviction. "But I miss mommy and daddy. Why do they have to go away so much? How much insurance can people need and _why_ do they need it at Christmas time?"

William put down the bulb he was examining and moved to the couch, sitting down and pulling the sullen little girl into a sideways hug. He hated lying to his only granddaughter but it was necessary to protect her and her parents. He was an old hand at it, having had to cover for Lian when Melinda was a little girl. Many times he listened to his own daughter sobbing in the dark of night for her absent mother, sobbing alone so that he would not see her weakness. Skye was so much like her mother and at the same time so very different. This little one had no problem letting him know exactly how she felt.

"Your mama and baba have important work to do, sūnnǚ. This is something you know. When their work is done they will return." William told the little girl calmly, squeezing her into his side.

"I know," Skye sighed, "but, I still don't like it." She pouted, picking at the fibers on the couch cushion and sliding back into her slouch.

William pulled her back up. "Good posture is very important, sūnnǚ. You must sit properly."

The little girl knew better than to disobey her grandfather and pushed herself back up as tears began to flow over her cheeks. "But it's Christmas, Yéyé. They have to be home for Christmas."

"It is still four days," William reminded her as he pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her tears. "Much can happen in that time, baobei. We must be patient and let time take care of what it will."

Skye rested against her grandfather's shoulder and stared at the tree with its scant ornaments. ' _Damn sad_ ,' Daisy remarked, immediately bringing a smile to the girl's face. She looked up at her grandfather just to be sure he hadn't heard her best self. He was smiling and humming a song that he'd sung to her since she was so little. No, he hadn't heard but she just had to make sure.

' _Daddy would make it look beautiful_ ,' Skye think-talked to Daisy.

' _Yeah, sounds like Coulson. On the other hand, it looks a lot better than some of the trees I've had in my lifetime._ ' Daisy sighed as Skye snuggled into her grandfather's embrace.

' _This is your lifetime_ ,' Skye giggled.

' _The one we were supposed to have anyway_ ,' Daisy agreed.

Skye thought for a moment, attempting to flip through all of her adult self's memories but could not find the information she sought. ' _Do you know?_ ' she asked.

' _Know?_ ' Daisy repeated.

' _Where mommy and daddy are…do you know?_ ' Skye pleaded.

Daisy shook her head. ' _Sorry, kid, no idea but I know they'll be okay_.'

' _Then they'll be home by Christmas?_ ' Skye sat up suddenly, startling her grandfather. He looked at her and in the direction she stared.

"What is it, sūnnǚ?" William asked with concern.

' _I really don't know, kid, sorry_.' Daisy repeated.

Skye dropped back against the couch. "Nothing, Yeye, I just needed to stretch."

William smiled as he started to rise. "Then why don't we both stretch and put more of those beautiful baubles on this very large tree?" He moved across the floor and picked up a small box tilting so she could see what it held.

Skye stood and shook her head. "I'm really tired, Yeye. I think I'm going to bed." She walked to the older man and bid him down to her placing a kiss on his cheek then turned and dragged herself toward the stairs. "Good night, grampa." She mumbled without turning back to him.

William looked down at the box for a few moments then set it back in its place. He shook his head and watched the very sad little girl traipse up the steps.

"Tiánmì de tiánmì de háizi,*" he whispered after her.

xx

Melinda entered the room with a forward roll diving past the danger of Phil's weapon and landing on the opposite side of him. Phil watched her for a second then pulled the trigger, cutting down the large man that followed. He fell with a loud thud back into the hall. Releasing the breath he held, Phil gathered the man's automatic rifle and yanked the ammo from his vest.

"You know," he breathed, "you might consider a warning before you dive into a room." He was frustrated, relieved, but still frustrated. He glared at the woman who slouched against the wall opposite the door. In the darkness of the room it was difficult to see her. He continued relieving the soldier of anything they could use to keep the rest of the enemy at bay then kicked him away from the door and slammed it shut. The sound brought a barrage of bullets which he avoided by duck-walking behind a large metal desk.

"Sorry," Melinda panted as she struggled to push herself into a sitting position. "Next time I'll ring the bell." He knew she was being sarcastic.

He watched her for a moment then looked at the desk. He tapped on it with the barrel of his gun. "If we stand this thing up we can probably block one of those windows, get a little more cover in here." He looked back to her for an opinion.

Melinda nodded once and pulled her hand away from her side. Even in the darkness he could see the blood that covered it. He half crawled, half slid across the floor to her side.

"Mel," he breathed as he remembered the hit she had taken that night.

She cringed only once, never one to give into the pain. "It's through and through. Just give me a few minutes to catch my breath."

He pushed her hand aside and pulled the rip in her body suit quickly making the small hole large enough for him to see the wound. He knew it would be an inch above her hip and remembered May making some snide comment about him just wanting to get into her pants. Here, now, on _this_ night she merely watched as he examined the area.

"Gotta find something to stop the bleeding," he spoke more to himself than to her and she merely took a breath in agreement. Phil looked around the bullet ridden office. What wasn't broken or full of holes was pretty much useless. It was an office full of paper and files and pens and office stuff. He handed her his weapon and pulled off his jacket then loosened his tie and tore it off his neck. As he unbuttoned his shirt, once again May's words from that night so long ago rippled in his memory as Fitz's program created a new one. She'd laughed at him that night, told him not to get any ideas and that she was in no condition to have sex with him. He'd told her he wasn't that desperate as he pulled his shirt from his arms and his T-shirt over his head.

This Melinda was not May…well, not the May he knew on that night. This was _his_ Melinda. The one he shared a home with…shared a daughter with…share a bed with and loved more than he thought possible. That night, in this same office, he feared losing her…feared losing the woman he knew he loved but could never have and with that thought the pain in his head took over with a vengeance. He slipped forward and felt her hand on his chest.

"You okay?" May asked through clenched teeth.

Phil righted himself and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment to get a handle on the throb then answered. "Fine…I'm fine." He pulled the T-shirt from his arms and wadded it into a ball then pressed it against her side. She took a quick breath and smiled up at him.

"Guess I caught one coming over the wall, but I did get the beacon set. They'll know where we are before dawn." She finally pushed herself up to sit and watched as her partner put back on his shirt and buttoned it.

"There's a rest room down the hall," Phil looked over his shoulder at the door. "Probably get some towels in there…even a wad of the paper kind should be good enough. Probably a storage room somewhere…" He gave her one of his trademark not so happy smiles and took her hand with the intention of placing it on the T-shirt bandage he'd just provided. He lingered a bit, holding it in his own wanting so much to comfort her and knowing she'd have none of it. They were on a mission. This was work and when they worked it was all business. So he squeezed it a little tighter and pressed it down on the wadded cotton shirt.

The large desk in the center of the room was already on its side. Phil sat on the floor with his back against it and used his legs to push it across the floor. Once it got it where he needed it he found the strength to pull it up vertically and push it in front of one of the windows. Every strain of every muscle reminded him he needed to spend less time pushing paper and more training like Melinda nagged him about on a daily basis.

Melinda had watched his progress and was impressed but still found reason to tease. "If you expect a round of applause, you'll have to find another audience." She deadpanned.

"Yeah, well," he spoke between breaths. "I'm not leaving you wide open while I go on a first aid treasure hunt." He took several deep breaths before sliding across the floor on his hands and knees then pulling himself up next to a large metal storage cabinet. He set his shoulder against it and pushed with all he had barely budging the heavy object. He turned and put his back against it, again using his legs as leverage and mostly with determination he moved it in front of the second window. Then slid to the floor and felt the ache in his body vie for supremacy with the one in his head.

Melinda swallowed hard and shook her head, immediately regretting it. She took in a quick breath. "You know its pretty damn dark out there. They're just as blind as we are."

Phil shook his head but didn't have enough breath to answer. He knew they had the building surrounded and it was only a matter of time, but he and Melinda had been successful in obtaining the 0-84. It was stashed in a small leather pouch and stored in the backpack Melinda had been carrying. He had no idea what the damn thing was or what the hell it did and really didn't care. They got it and now they just needed to get out. He sat taking deep breaths for a few minutes before he could speak.

"Night vision," was the first thing he said and she understood. The enemy could see them but they could not see the enemy.

Phil stood and scanned the room for anything else he could use to protect his partner while he went in search of whatever he could find to help her. They were both trained in field medicine, all he needed was the means and together they'd provide the knowledge. He almost laughed realizing the search would be pretty easy considering he already knew what he would find and where he would find it. He mentally patted himself on the back knowing he would certainly impress Melinda with his abilities. He moved to her side and squatted down beside her.

"I won't be long." He smiled as he pulled the clips from his jacket on the floor and set them on the floor next to her. "Just a quick trip down the hall and I'll be back with everything we need."

He started to turn but she grabbed his hand…something he did not remember. No, that night she chided him for his dumb idea and insisted she'd be fine and reminded him that he shouldn't be putting himself in danger. She told him over and over she was fine even though he had known she wasn't. Something was different this time…lots of things were…but the biggest difference was the ten-year-old girl who was probably decorating the tree with her grandfather right now and probably giving him a hard time about their absence.

Melinda put a hand on his arm. He looked at it and then into her eyes. "She needs both of us. Phil. Don't you dare get hurt and you better damn well get back here in a hurry cuz I'm not in any position to come looking for you."

He smiled as he took her hand in his, brought it to his lips and kissed it then gave a quick nod and moved away before he knew he wouldn't be able to.

xx

Skye dropped across her bed with her feet dangling over the edge of the mattress. She breathed into the quilt until her breath became too hot and she had to turn her head. The darkness in the room matched her mood. Skye was saddened by the fact her parents had not spoken to her in more than a week and angry that they had to go away on some dumb business trip right before Christmas. Sure, Yeye was able to take her to find a tree, but it wasn't the same as going off into the woods with Daddy to pick the absolute perfect tree to set up in their foyer.

The tree was smaller. It didn't even reach to the ceiling and it was skinny with those picky little needles instead of long, soft kind that always made the house smell like Christmas. Yeye said it didn't matter that the tree wasn't the same because it was the thought that counted. Skye _thought_ that was dumb, but knew enough not to disrespect her grandfather.

She reached up and pulled her shaggy puppy into her arms and hugged it tightly. "I gotta find out where they are." Skye spoke out loud, knowing Daisy could hear whenever she spoke. It didn't matter if she just thought the words or said them out loud. Daisy would hear her.

' _I told you, kid, I don't have a clue. I don't remember cuz there's nothing to remember_.' Daisy answered in think-talk.

"You have to help me, Daisy." Skye growled sitting up and pounding her fists into the mattress. "We have to find them. I know something's not right. You know it too. They would have at least called."

Daisy thought about all the missions she could remember and wondered just when anyone would have had the opportunity to call anyone. Probably why no one at SHIELD had any attachments outside of those inside, geez she was thinking in kid thoughts again. This place was just too weird and it just got weirder all the time.

She also knew May and Coulson, probably better than anyone else. Daisy knew if anyone could get a message to her kid-self it would be them. The only two people closer than her parents were Fitz and Simmons, despite all that crap in the Hell Work. 'Her parents', she liked that thought. It fit in her kid-thinks as well as her now-thinks. She really liked it.

Why would they leave her this time of year? Of course she knew the answer, someone or something was in dire need or they'd be here. Coulson would say 'we are the last line of defense' and May would agree so Daisy knew someone the situation was desperate. She also knew they both carried personal phones in addition to their field issues then did the math as to when she was Skye's age. What kind of cell phones would they have carried and could they possibly make contact with whatever they had? Could they have a SAT phone? Did they even have then back then? Hell, it wasn't _that_ long ago. She had to admit she was just as concerned as Skye…just as worried.

' _Listen kid_ ,' Daisy tried pacifying herself, for as silly as that sounded. ' _Where ever they are they're okay. They'll be back.'_

"How can you know that?" Skye asked, her voice shaking with unshed tears.

Daisy thought about telling her younger self that their parents were fine because they were right there on either side of her, that they were safe and healthy. She then wondered once again if in this framework life was as terminal as the last. It wasn't such a great idea to tell the kid either because that would involve a lot of explaining and Daisy didn't have the explanations to give. How they heck was she supposed to tell her kid-self that all she was was a string of code and that she never had the parents she adored? How could she tell her that she was stolen from them and grew up bouncing around from one foster home to another? How could she explain to the kid that all of this was just some fanciful dream world where she and the parents they'd lost were building fake memories? It all sounded ridiculous. Maybe it was.

' _I just know_ ,' Daisy sighed.

"Daddy's computer is in his office," Skye wasn't listening as she stood and paced to the door then back to the bed. "I bet we could find out. He keeps all kinds of stuff on it. _You_ can find it."

Daisy didn't answer. How the hell did this kid get this information? She had to talk to Fitz about what he put into that code. Daisy pushed Skye's arms out in front of her and looked at them, then down at the crazy high top sneakers the kid wore. She guessed she was about ten, maybe eleven. She'd only just been introduced to PC's around that age. She remembered the thrill of being able to search the world for any information she wanted and spent hours in the school library as well as the public library teaching herself everything she could about cyberspace. It was the beginning and the first time she realized she could use this skill to search for the parents that had abandoned her…only they didn't. But this Skye wouldn't know that…would she?

"All _I_ have to do is get into the office and _you_ do the rest." Skye smiled. "We'll just wait til Yeye falls asleep and…"

' _And nothing, kid_ ,' Daisy stopped her. ' _That is a horrible idea, probably the worst_ …'

"Come on, Daisy you've had lots of dumb ideas and they worked out great. Like that time you pretended you were mom and got that guy to let you into his computer files."

' _You know about that?!_ ' Daisy squeaked.

"I told you we have the same memories," Skye sighed. "Well, mostly…some of them are a little fuzzy and some just kinda flit by really fast, but I know they're yours. Mine are different. They don't move around so much."

' _Yeah…right_ ,' Daisy nodded, wondering how much Skye was not telling her. How much did she really remember? ' _But it's still a dumb idea and I'm not helping_.'

"Then I'll do it myself. I know how to get into Daddy's office. I've done it lots of times. I can get into the computer by myself. I don't need you. _I'm_ in charge."

Daisy snickered at her own bravado. ' _Yeah and you still gonna be in charge when Yeye catches you?_ '

"He's not going to catch us. I told you we'll wait until he's asleep." Skye rolled her eyes.

 _'Well, you just said you didn't need me. So what do you plan on doing once you get into the computer?"_ Daisy sniped.

"That's where _you_ come in, because you have to come with me anyway. We're stuck with each other." Skye smiled a sarcastic smile not even trying to hide the snicker. "You just jack into Daddy's stuff and find out where they are." Skye smiled as she crossed her arms over her chest.

 _'Hack, it's hack, kid and what makes you think I'm gonna do anything. There's probably stuff in there that we do not need to know. You might be able to drag me in there but you can't make me do anything.'_ Daisy shot back.

"What're you afraid you'll find out we're adopted?" Skye laughed.

 _'No-wa,'_ Daisy countered. ' _That's personal private stuff, kid. That's why your dad's got it locked up in his office.'_ Daisy remembered cracking SHIELD's firewalls in the back of her van. She'd fished around in a lot of SHIELD files but never, not ever, not even once had she peered into anything that was Coulson. It wasn't even her that cracked that GH-325 thing. That was FitzSimmons. Nope she had way too much respect for Coulson and a whole lot of fear. When he lit into her after that episode with Miles she couldn't even find the words to describe how it made her feel.

" _Our_ dad," Skye corrected. "And you're not the _least_ bit curious?" Skye squeaked as she drew out the word. "You are way too grown up, Daisy." The girl shook her head and frowned at herself. She wondered if Daisy knew she could see her in her mind and that she knew exactly what her grown-up self looked like

That hurt. Daisy couldn't believe how much that hurt, even when it came from her own lips. Sure she could hack into a fifteen year old PC and get through any flimsy firewalls in seconds but Skye did not need to know that her parents were not insurance brokers and spent all the time they were away from her saving the world. That would certainly be the fuel of nightmares for years to come. It would also involve growing up in a safe house, no more normal childhood. If she found out about SHIELD, the creeps that were already embedded there would know about her. She wasn't even sure the kid could be protected.

Crap, Daisy mentally smacked herself. Could this kid hear every thought or only the ones she directed at her? Daisy heard or felt or whatever the hell it was everything the kid did or said. Did it work both ways? And if it did, did she already know about SHIELD? Had Daisy's thoughts given it away? She wondered if she could hack her Skye-self's code from inside and find out just how much this kid knew. Then she thought about Fitz and knew he would never put her in danger and would certainly never put her little kid self in danger or mental distress. Daisy let herself relax and slowly drift into her little Skye mind.

Yeow! What a mess of crazy ideas? Really kid? Daisy felt like she was in some wild fun house as her ten-year-old thoughts and ideas buzzed by her. Everything was jumbled together. Last night's homework…May's scowl at a note from a teacher…Coulson's dopey jokes…someone named Wyatt…a geography test… Nǎinai's visit tomorrow…worry….worry…Mom and Dad…anger…why did they go? Some boy band she didn't recognize…

Daisy pulled herself free and shook her head. Geez, did she actually think like that? It was like trying to separate shredded paper that spun around in a blender at warp speed. Did all kids think like that? That was frightening but it was apparent Skye could not do the same. She could not access Daisy's present thoughts, only her memories and then only part of them.

And Skye was still talking and Daisy was not really listening. "I'm doing this with you, cuz I can't do it without you and if you don't help then I'll just screw up all of Daddy's files and we'll get caught anyway and when Mom decides to give someone a dose of that strict Chinese discipline, I'll be sure _your_ butt is on the line, _not_ mine!"

That was one hell of a threat and Daisy knew, by experience that Skye was fully capable of pulling herself out of the line of fire and pushing Daisy right into the front lines. She had no intention of receiving another dose of May's punishment and she could just imagine what the price would be for screwing up SHIELD files.

' _If your grandfather catches you,'_ Daisy warned again as she shook her head. _'If Yeye catches us….'_

"He won't," Skye assured her, smiling because she knew Daisy was cracking. "He sleeps downstairs. We wait until he is out and then…"

Daisy shook her head. Yeye slept like a cat. The tiniest noise would wake the man and unlike his daughter William May…the kind, quiet, gentle William May was quick to remind his granddaughter that breaking rules was a showing of disrespect. That in itself could mean swift punishment.

 _'And what are you going to do with the information?'_ Daisy asked, then added, ' _if it's even there.'_

Skye sighed in defeat. "I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders. "I just want to know where they are. At least then…I guess I just…I don't know." She let out a deep breath and plopped down on the edge of the bed.

Daisy looked toward the window. ' _It's snowing pretty hard_.' She pointed out. ' _Bet there'll be no school tomorrow.'_

"Tomorrow's Sunday," Skye sighed, 'it doesn't matter.' She picked at the threads on the quilt and swung her feet back and forth.

Daisy shrugged. Snow days were always great. How the hell was she supposed to know what day it was?

A light tap at the door stopped the one sided-two voiced conversation. William pushed open the door a crack and spoke quietly to his granddaughter. "Why are you here in the dark, sunnu?" He slid his hand along the wall and flicked on the light. Skye squinted at the brightness. She hoped her grandfather had not heard her odd conversation with her Daisy-self. He pushed the door open and stepped inside carrying a small tray.

"Some walnut cookies and soothing tea," the older man smiled as he sat next to the girl. "Nǐ bìxū xiāngxìn nǐ de fùmǔ huì ānquán, tāmen huì huílái, tiánměi de nǚhái."

"No, grandfather. I can't believe they're safe or they'll be home. Why haven't they called me? They didn't call not even once, Yeye. Not one time." Skye could not contain the tears any longer. She broke into heavy sobs dropping her head on to her grandfather's shoulder.

William put his arm around the child and pulled her closer. He rocked back and forth gently. "I am sure there is a reason and that they will reveal it when they return." The man looked at the snow swirling outside the window and forced himself to believe…believe for the little girl that sobbed in his arms.

xx

Phil had been gone less than ten minutes and returned with towels and a first aid kid. The large gauze pads replaced the now bloodied T-shirt. There was enough bandage to wrap around her body to hold them in place. He also found an antibiotic and forced Melinda to take it despite her protests.

The sounds of gunfire outside grew less and less, even sounded farther away and Phil wondered if help had arrived ahead of schedule. He tried to ignore the throb in the top of his head and remember this night. There was no way to defend the entire building and not much to stop the soldiers out there from coming in here. He had no way to see what was going on…not from here anyway. Should he leave Melinda and check the perimeter? Was that even necessary? She'd already pushed herself to her feet and was assessing the weapons he'd taken from the dead guy.

"Two grenades, pistol with three rounds and half a clip, automatic rifle with enough ammo to last…well, at least until one of them picks us off." She leaned forward on the table where the weapons were spread and rested on her forearm. "Damn it, Phil. We're sitting ducks in here. They come through that door in force and they'll cut us to ribbons before we even pull a trigger." Melinda nodded toward the door.

Phil looked in the same direction. "If we barricade it, there's no way out." He fingered through the contents of the medical bag he'd retrieved from what looked like a clinic at the end of the hall. Satisfied there were enough supplies to treat Melinda until the extraction team arrived.

He scanned the room for the…well he'd lost count…there wasn't a lot to work with there. It was the last office in the hallway of this building the Russians had occupied until the guerillas overtook it a few days ago. Since then it had been ransacked and abandoned. It was three floors of offices and not really considered much of a stronghold. He knew if he and Melinda didn't have possession of that damn 0-84 they'd probably blow the place sky high.

"You cannot hold out forever," A crackly voice spoke broken English through a megaphone. "You are surrounded. There is no escape. Give us the weapon and we will let you live."

Phil moved to the window covered by the large cabinet and peaked through the crack left between the window sill and its side. It was impossible to see in the darkness and with the rubble collected in the street below but he could judge by the sound where the man might be.

Melinda let out a snorty laugh. "Yeah, until they throw us in some god forsaken prison and forget about us."

Phil looked back over his shoulder at her. She was right. That 0-84 was no bargaining chip, even if he would consider it, which he would not. It was some kind of weapon, but he had no idea how to use it.

"We will give you two hours," the crackly voice came again. "After that we take what we want and you…well, we will be sure your bodies are left for someone to find."

"Generous," Melinda quipped. Phil took a breath and looked at his watch. It was just after midnight. In two hours it would be just as dark as it was now and at least four hours until their team would arrive.

Phil leaned back against the wall and thought. The definitely could not get out of this building, not alive anyway. He walked back and forth across the room.

"What are you looking for?" Melinda asked as she watched him pace.

"I'm not sure," he answered without looking toward her.

Melinda took a quick look around the room holding her hand on her bandaged wound. "There's no way out of here, Phil."

"No…no there's not, but what if we just make them _think_ we got out?"

Melinda looked around again before almost laughing. "And how do you propose we do that? They're all around us, Phil. Just a floor below, waiting for the word to come storming up here and…"

"So what's stopping them?" He stopped her before she could finish thought. The pain in his head almost blinded him and he stumbled toward her.

"What's wrong with you?" Melinda demanded as she caught his arm and both slid to the floor. "Are you hit somewhere? Damn it, Phil. If you're keeping it from me, I swear I kick your ass all over this damn office before they have a chance to get in."

Phil laughed. "You can barely walk." He reminded her.

"And still I could wipe the floor with your skinny ass." She spoke through her teeth.

He looked at her, stared into those dark beautiful eyes and smiled. "Yeah, you could but you won't." He pulled her close and kissed her cheek quickly erasing her grimace. The pain in his head slipped away almost like water running off a slick surface. It was still there. He was aware of it, but the pain was quiet. He kissed her cheek again and she turned into him, kissing him back. The remainder of the pain evaporated.

"When we get out of here…" he breathed close to her.

"Yeah, yeah that bottle of Hague. You say that after every rough mission and it still sits in the same spot Fury put it three years ago." She spoke into his neck.

"Yep, it does and I do, but that's not what I was going to say." Phil kissed her again and pulled her closer, mindful of her injury. "We've been together a long time Mel, ten years already."

"Mmm hmmm," she agreed, kissing his neck and chin.

"Marry me, Melinda May. When we get out of here, marry me. Be my wife. Let me be your husband. Do it for us. Do it for Skye."

Melinda pulled back and looked at him smiling that goofy smile at her. They were looking death in the eye. The possibility of getting out of this mess was slim if nonexistent. She blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. Her baby was a million miles away. She'd never know what happened to them. They'd never get to say goodbye. She'd be safe with her parents but they would never, ever love her the way she and Phil did.

Phil asked her to marry him almost every day. It was their personal joke. He'd ask and she'd refuse. It went on and one. They didn't need to be official they just were. They were together every day, every night. They loved each other and Skye was evidence of that love. She remembered every second of the night that beautiful spirit was conceived and would do it again in a heartbeat. She loved that little girl from the moment she knew the spark of life had entered her body. And she loved Phil, the father of that wonderful, stubborn, wild, sometimes too mouthy and always so sarcastic little person they had brought into the world. She could not imagine life without either of them.

Melinda smiled back at Phil. "Marry me, Phillip Coulson. We'll marry each other. All of us, together…as soon as we get out of here."

xx

Daisy paced the room, nibbling her thumb nail. She didn't really think that pacing in your mind was possible but it seemed in this crazy version of reality…well, at least her part of it…it was. She could see and feel Skye sleeping on the bed and at the same time see herself walking back and forth across the room. Yeye had made sure Skye was tucked in and kissed her goodnight. She had to admit it was a nice feeling, having a grandpa that loved her so very much. It certainly was a bonus, but she could also feel Skye's anxiety about grandmother coming to visit. Daisy had never met May's mother but she'd heard stories and if Melinda May was a hard ass, her mother was the queen of 'hardassery'. Yep, she was certain after meeting William May that May had definitely taken after her mother. Maybe getting caught in the act by grandpa would be a disaster but if he told granny they'd probably end up in solitary confinement for decades. Daisy laughed, that really wouldn't be possible since there were two of them…all the time. Well, one but really two. She stopped and stared down at Skye, so innocent in sleep hugging that crazy haired doggie.

This was another weird moment, watching herself sleep. She never really thought of herself as innocent or cute and even now the thought made her feel like she was doing something wrong. You weren't supposed to like yourself that much. She'd been taught that by the sisters of the IHM. To love yourself that much was considered a sin, so she never thought about it at all. But, yeah, this kid was cute and innocent and full of piss and vinegar. She remembered reading that book in junior high, To Kill a Mockingbird¹. She liked the book and liked the movie even more. In fact she watched it about seventy times, even had the digitalized DVD. Now that she was able to look at her little self she kinda thought that, yeah, Skye reminded her a lot of Scout. She could see them being sort of the same kind of kid. Of course Scout was a bit handicapped back in 1933. Daisy had far more resources.

Yet, she could not force herself to help her kid-self hack into their father's computer, despite the fact that she shivered every time she imagined what repercussions that might have she just couldn't bring herself to expose Skye to whatever she found there. So she stood and stared at the kid sleeping and wondered if maybe, just maybe she could somehow take over the physical form of this string of code while Fitz's creation was sound asleep. The way Daisy figured it was pretty much like hacking from inside the program. Hell, if she could break in from the outside it should be a breeze doing it from within.

"Okay, Daisy, start small," she told herself and used every bit of her will to make the little girl's fingers move. It worked! Skye's right hand flexed just a bit and Daisy was sure she was responsible. "Great, let's step it up a bit." She moved the kid's entire hand to her face and gently rubbed it under her nose then tucked it under her pillow. "Okay that's the hand, let's try a foot or two." Slowly, Daisy managed to get Skye's toes to wriggle and then moved both legs. "Okay, one more hurdle," Daisy groaned as she easily rolled her kid body to its side and snuggled into the pillow. "Mental fist pump!" the young agent yelled to herself.

"Of course this is all for nothing if it's Skye doing the moving and not me so I guess there's only one way to be sure," Daisy told herself. Skye's eyes opened and Daisy peered into the darkness of the room. She listened to the silence. Daisy remained quiet. She didn't even think, just listened for Skye's thoughts, but only found silence. "Hey," she smiled to herself as she brought the little body to sit on the edge of the bed and then stand. "Sleep walking! Woohoo! I can go with that."

She walked herself to the dresser and peered into the mirror using the moonlight that shone through the window. She looked normal, thank god. There was a moment there when she was afraid she'd appear as a zombie with dead eyes staring forward into nothingness. But, she just looked like she always did. Daisy remembered Kyle, a kid at the orphanage that was a regular sleepwalker. He'd walk all over the place in his sleep, even talk to you if you spoke to him first. He'd watch TV and take all kinds of snacks from the kitchen. He never looked like the walking dead and some of the sisters always thought he was faking. She looked closer into the mirror and smiled again. Yeah, she could do sleepwalking.

A few minutes later Daisy had slipped down the dark hall and into Skye's…er, her parents' bedroom. She remembered to close the door with a soft click and stood silently, listening for any sign that she'd been heard. Satisfied she was safe, she tiptoed across the room to the other side and tried the door.

"Damn it," Daisy grumbled. It was locked. She had no tools to pick a lock and she was pretty sure there was nothing in this room or in Skye's to help her. She squatted down and examined the lock. "Hmmm," Daisy smiled. It was a simple home bedroom door lock, easy pickins. All she needed was something to pry the molding up a smidge and a thin flat piece of plastic or metal to push the lock pin out of the door jamb.

She made her way to the bathroom and flicked on the light. No one would see this and if they did she'd just claim she needed to use the facility and got turned around in the dark or she just missed her parents too much and needed to be in their room. That would work, even Yeye would believe because hell, it was true. Daisy looked around the pristine room and saw May's touch everywhere. Her mentor preached, a place for everything and everything in its place, best way to find what you need without wasting time looking for it. She pulled open the top drawer and smiled at the collection of nail files and emery boards. "Absolutely what I need," Daisy smiled. "Thank you, May!" A little more searching turned up a fine metal comb that was just heavy enough to pry that molding up.

Within minutes she was standing inside Coulson's small home office. She recognized his collections of antiques, especially that watch they'd destroyed when they had to break the lock and get out of his office when what's his name locked down everything on the plane and she lightly brushed her hand over his collection of Captain America cards. Everything was just like she remembered in his office on the Bus, before…well before the world went to hell. She swallowed the urge to just stand there and cry. She had work to do.

Daisy had remembered to turn off the bathroom light and close the office door behind her. She'd even remembered to snag a towel from the bath to stuff under the door in this room, thereby hiding the soft glow the computer would make. She took care of that then climbed into the large leather chair and stared at the dinosaur PC trying to remember where to find the on button. Once she made that hurdle the computer sprang to life. She was impressed, it wasn't as outdated as she imagined. Apparently SHIELD had access to a bit more advanced programming than the rest of the world all that time ago. It took a little longer for the screen to let her know it was ready but that was expected as was the tiny blinking cursor that demanded a password. She drummed her fingers on the desktop. What would Coulson, this Coulson have used to protect his files? And how many errors could she make before the system locked her out?

There was no way to tell how many figures the password required. She thought back to 'the day' when passwords weren't that secure and most people just used the name of their dog or their birth date. It made hacking a lot easier. So she tried 'Melinda' and almost fell off the chair when the computer spoke in a robotic voice – "Error…You have seven minutes to enter correct password before system crash."

"Damn it!" Daisy swore out loud. It wouldn't matter how many incorrect passwords she entered, she only had seven minutes and then boom, all of Coulson's data would be digital ooze. Hell of a protection program. She wracked her brain and tried, 'Skye' with no luck. The voice blared again and she had no way to turn down the volume. Hopefully, William May did not share his daughter's bionic hearing. Daisy tried as many words as she could thing of… 'Lola', 'May', 'Minnesota', 'Carter', 'Howling Commandos'…nothing worked as the minutes ticked by. She looked around the room again at all the memorabilia and smiled when her eyes fell on what she knew was his pride and joy. Daisy turned back to the keyboard and typed 'Steve Rogers'. The screen went black and silent. Daisy held her breath. "Welcome, Agent Coulson, please proceed." She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as she began typing.

It took a few seconds to locate what she needed and avoid seeing anything she really didn't want to see. The files here were similar to those she'd hacked into at the Hub when checking on that mission Fitz and Ward went on without an extraction plan. Geez, no wonder she had no trouble hacking into this agency, they didn't do a lot of updates. Of course it wasn't as sophisticated as the Fitz/Ward mission but it was similar. It didn't take her long to find the file related to Coulson and May's most recent mission.

December 15, 2002: Novyy, Chechnya - retrieve 0-84, set extraction beacon when mission complete, ETA twelve hours, extreme hostile environment, heavy military presence. Two person team, top operatives, com/ops,

"That's it?" Daisy exclaimed raising her little kid arms out wide in frustration. "Two stinkin' lines of nothing? Where the hell is No-Vee-Why-Why?" She slunk down in the chair and blew out a frustrated breath. "Well, you didn't miss anything kid," she spoke to her still soundly sleeping Skye-self. "I know where they are but that's it. So how do I explain to a kid that her parents are in some battle zone in Nowhere, Russia? Even a kid is gonna see right through that insurance selling crap." All this black-ops work and she had nothing to tell the kid. Unless….

Daisy sat up and began clicking and typing through the files until she found a link to the SHEILD main access point. It wasn't difficult, she'd hacked these files before. All she had to do was stay under the radar and not get caught by Yeye or the agency itself. She needed an update on the mission and took very little time to find what she needed.

21-12-02: 1800 hrs, accomplished, in possession, under siege, one injured, need MedEvac

21-12-02: 1823 hrs, evac team deployed, Med Techs aboard, ETA 22-12-02 0800 hrs

The girl sat up quickly. Damn, SHEILD and their cryptic messaging! Someone was hurt and they were pinned down. She knew there would be no further information until the Evac Team arrived…until the team was taken aboard and assessed. Until then there would be silence. She backed out of the program careful to leave no 'footprints'. She powered down the PC and turned it off but remained sitting in the blackness of the windowless office staring at the dark screen. It was a few minutes before she realized she was crying. The door to the room opened allowing a spray of light into the darkness. Daisy jumped to her feet and turned to face the tall figure standing behind her.

"Nǐ zài zuò shénme? Nǐ bù yìng gāi zài zhèlǐ! Zhè zhǐshì wèile nǐ fùqīn de yǎnjīng. Nǐ bù zūnzhòng nǐ de fùqīn? Nǐ de fùqīn huì shēngqì! Wǒ hěn shēngqì, sūnnǚ. Nǐ wèishéme zuò zhège?"**

Yeye was speaking so fast and he was so angry, Daisy barely understood what he was saying. Skye came awake with a start and blinked a few times at the ranting man. Daisy quickly pushed the girl to the back of their mind and took control.

"I…I…I just wanted to find out where…what…I didn't do anything…I couldn't. I don't know how." She gritted her teeth with the lie but neither he nor Skye needed to know what she did find out.

William stepped aside and held the door. "Chūláile!" He commanded, pointing in the direction she should move.

Daisy nodded quickly and edged past him without never breaking eye contact. He glared at her and she could see a hint of May's signature eye beating there. It was a silly kid thing but she couldn't help putting both hands behind her to protect her vulnerability. She moved into her parents' room while William pulled the door closed and made sure the door was locked. Daisy realized the nail file was still on Coulson's desk but it didn't matter anyway, she'd already been caught. She hurried toward the hall door hoping to escape to her own room before her grandfather was finished.

"Tíng zài nàlǐ!" Yeye ordered in a voice she could not remember hearing before. She felt Skye shuddered at its tone.

Daisy stopped as he ordered and turned to face him. She kept her arms behind her and stared at the floor. Direct eye contact right now would mean certain disrespect. "I'm sorry, grandfather," she whispered. "Duìbùqǐ."

xx

"How the hell are we supposed to make them think we've gotten out of here?" Melinda groaned as she pushed herself back up from where she had slid down and drifted off for a few moments.

Phil looked at her and smiled. He was glad when she slept but even happier when she woke. It meant she was still with him. He'd found a large grate in the wall behind the shelf he'd moved. Apparently it was some sort of heating vent…forced hot air of some kind. All he had to do was get the cover off and squeeze the two of them inside. Getting it back on would be tricky but if it was as archaic as he thought it would be possible. The thing looked like it was made of wrought iron and he remembered something similar in his grandmother's house when he was a child.

His grandmother lived in the 'old homestead', a house built by her father. He spent hours exploring it as a kid and the one thing that fascinated him was the filigree white vent in the large parlor of the house. He remembered sitting there a whole afternoon with a large piece of paper and pencils making a rubbing of it. That hung on his bedroom wall for years. One afternoon when he was a bit older his grandmother asked him to remove the screws that held it in place. Apparently it was customary to clear the dust from inside on occasion as a fire prevention measure. He'd been thrilled and meticulously removed each large screw then pulled it from the wall and moved it aside. His arms ached for days, but he did it. Looking inside the large hole behind the grate was thrilling and the one thing he noticed was that the large screws went directly through the wall into metal plates, there were no washers or fasteners, they simply went through the metal and stuck out into the wall. Phil had taken one of the screws and put it through just to see. If this grate was the same all he would have to do is get those screws through enough to grab on to them and then just turn them from the inside. It could work if they got back far enough…if there was enough room.

Phil sat back on his heels and wiped the sweat from his brow. It suddenly occurred to him that this is not how it went down the last time. No, he and May had decided the only way out was probably a suicide play. May was wrong in her statement about men on the lower levels of the building. There were none. They'd made a quick exit when they realized the couple in the top office had the 0-84 or whatever the hell _they_ called it. His Russian was a bit rusty and with the Chechen dialogue mixed in it was pretty useless. It seemed that they were as fearful of the weapon as they were anxious to get it back. Phil stared at the large bolts on the grate and the layers of paint that covered them. Even if he could find something strong enough to twist the screws it would take hours to get them out of years worth of paint, hours he didn't have.

He'd searched the cabinet, the overturned desk's drawers and the medical bag, there was noting worth using. Even the coins in his pock were worthless. He duck walked back across the floor and sat next to Melinda who gave him a weak smile. He could see the blood seeping through the layers of bandage and pulled two more large pads from the box he had set next to her. He laid them on top of the ones already in place and again wrapped her with more elastic tape.

"Staring to look like a life preserver, Phil," May scoffed as she tried to push him away and secure the tape on her own.

"I guess it is, when you really think about it." He smiled back.

Once again he remembered the mission he and May had taken on back in 2002, before the battles that changed their lives, before the people that did the same. He knew there was a truck parked not fifty feet from the back exit of this building. He'd seen it while searching for the med supplies. It was fifty feet of wide open space and they would be sitting ducks…well, more like running ducks, but ducks they would be and every gun in the small village would be aimed at them. That he remembered vividly. He and May had taken that route in the _'real world'_ of that day. They really had nothing to lose then. They, like every other agent, were expendable as long as the mission was deemed a success.

He remembered pulling the pin on the grenade he launched at the pile of rubble across the street. He'd placed it in the leather pouch effectively destroying the 0-84. If SHIELD wasn't going to have it then neither was anyone else. May catapulted the second grenade at a separate target and they made a run for the truck, she armed with the dead guy's pistol and he with the machine gun. They were inside the vehicle before he realized he'd been hit twice and May's shoulder was bleeding almost as much as her side. Both of them hit twice, but he got that damn truck started and headed out of town with half the army on their heals. He thought about telling May that day, thought about telling her how much he cared and what she meant to him. He threw her a quick look as he struggled to hold on to his own consciousness and keep that damn rickety wreck on the rocky road. The sun was just making its way over the eastern ridge when he spotted the helivac and breathed a sigh of relief.

They had made it…still alive, yet not intact. He'd been hit in the left shoulder blade and thigh. May was struggling to breathe as the second bullet grazed her lung. They both spent months in intensive care and then more in rehab, not seeing each other for almost a year afterward and then only in passing. The top brass was not too happy with the fact that they had lost the item they were meant to retrieve.

"Hey!" Melinda's voice startled him out of the memory. "What's with you? You're like a thousand miles away."

He swallowed and looked down at his hands. "I was just thinking about how much grief Skye's giving your dad about now." Phil almost laughed. It wasn't really a lie because he had been thinking about how terrifying it would be fore Skye if they both ended up in the same condition. How would she handle losing both parents for such a long period of time? They'd be confined in a SHIELD based medical facility, probably someplace in Europe. They'd have no way to contact her, nor she them.

"She better be sound asleep by now," Melinda reminded him.

Phil nodded, "Yeah, right…"

He reached for her pack and pulled it into his lap. Melinda watched as he pulled out the small leather bag and opened the drawstring. The object he removed carefully was small. It fit in the palm of his hand. It was a perfect silver square that had a dial that resembled that on a combination lock on one side and one thumb sized black button on the other. It was about as wide as a Chunky candy bar.

"You know that's not protocol." Melinda sniffed as she examined the item visually.

Phil looked at her for a beat then snorted, "like that's an issue with you?" Melinda shrugged then grimaced at the renewed pain. "If we just knew what it did or how it worked."

"Probably should complain these damn things don't come with instruction manuals." She breathed as she let her head ball back against the wall.

"Those guys," he nodded toward the barricaded windows. "Those guys out there are pretty shaky about us having this thing. They probably think we know how to use it. Probably the only thing keeping them as far away as they are. Hell, we're out numbered at least ten to one. They could storm the place and take us out in a heartbeat. This," he shook it at her, "is the only thing keeping us alive."

"Yeah, shoulda brought someone from sci-tech along cuz those guys are so good in the field."

Phil laughed imagining those nerds and their pocket protectors sniffing around in a mess like this, but Coulson imagined _his_ two scientists and their ability, their bravery and cunning in handling every obstacle they'd ever faced.

"We've got about forty-five minutes," Melinda reminded him. "You need to stop with the daydreaming." She sounded ticked as she pushed herself to her feet and did her best to walk across the room. She stopped at the grate and peered into it. "Really?" She turned back to him, giving him a look of 'are you crazy?'. "Unless you've got some acid in that bag, you're not getting these off." She flicked a finger at one of the large bolts. Phil's face fell with the realization he had spent way too much time on a useless idea. Melinda saw the change. "Might have worked though…might have…" She looked at the small chips of paint on the floor where he had been trying to get under one of the screws. "Got any suture materials in that bag?" She asked without turning back to him.

Phil narrowed his eyes for a moment then pulled a suture kit from the large sack. He stood and walked to her. She took it and used a long length of the thread to slide back and forth between the bolt and the wall, like a piece of dental floss. He watched for a moment then shook it head.

"That'll take days!" He exclaimed stilling her hands with his own.

Melinda rolled her eyes. "I'm not trying to get it off, just to make it look like we did." She nodded toward the paint chips that were collecting on the floor. Phil raised his brows and got the idea. He pulled another length of thread and began 'flossing' another screw. It took very little time for them to create quite a pile of paint chips at their feet.

Phil could not stifle a gasp as Melinda pulled up her bandage and place her hand in the blood that had collected under it. Before he could ask she replaced it then slapped a bloody handprint on the grate, then the wall along side. It wasn't hard to spread enough blood to make it look like she'd been helping to remove the panel and with a little ingenuity they managed to get a few drops inside the grate as well.

"We don't have to get in there, Phil," Melinda panted as he redressed her wounds. "We just have to make them think we did."

"Not to disagree with your plan, Mel but won't the fact that we're standing here make them think otherwise." Phil smirked.

Melinda narrowed her eyes and bit her tongue. This was no time for an argument. "We need to get to the basement." She answered, ignoring his snide remark.

"The basement? Really, the basement? Because if they blow this building we'll be part of the rubble that currently makes up most of this village." Phil growled.

"How do you think I got in here?" Melinda shot back. "There's a tunnel that runs under the square, comes out just past the tree line."

"And you wait until we have what," he looked at his watch, "twenty eight minutes left?"

"I hoped you'd come up with something better. There's a lot of water in that damn tunnel and it's freezing." She sneered. "In fact, it might just be an old cistern or pipe of some kind." She shrugged. "Water was kind of sludgy."

"There's one set of stairs, Mel and they took most of them out when they pulled out of here. How do you propose we get down there?"

"The chute at the end of the hall must empty out somewhere." She pointed out.

"You want to risk jumping into a garbage chute, cuz I'm thinking it isn't used for laundry. How do you know it doesn't go into an incinerator?" Phil almost squeaked in his refusal.

"It's pretty damn cold in here, Phil. Do you actually think they've been keep up the heat?" Now they were arguing.

"So we drop…no propel three floors straight down, probably break our legs, if not our necks and then crawl to a sewer pipe and swim to the woods where we do what, roll down hill into the arms of the evac team?" Phil was on a roll and the stress was fueling his ire. Surprisingly, his headache had dissipated.

"I'm not so sure about the rolling part, but yeah that's just about it." Melinda scoffed. "Time's wasting, Phil. We have about twenty minutes to get out of this hell hole and forty eight hours to get home to our daughter before Christmas. What's it gonna be?"

"Oh, you had to do that, didn't you? You had to use that." Phil sneered as he threw the items on the floor into the medical bag then tossed the weapons in as well. He shouldered the machine gun and tossed the hand gun to Melinda, securing his own pistol in its holster on his back. He made sure the 0-84 was secure in its leather pouch then handed her the back pack.

"Worked, didn't it." Melinda smiled as she slid the pack on her back and ignored the fire in her side.

*sweet dreams, sweet child

¹ To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee, J. & Co, 1960

** What are you doing? You shouldn't be here? This is for your father's eyes only. Have you no respect for your father? He will be very angry. I am angry, granddaughter. Why are you doing this?


	13. 13 Time Changes Everything

**Chapter 13**

 **Time Just Changes Everything That Stays the Same**

Skye stood in the center of her room rubbing the sting off her posterior with one hand and the tears off her cheeks with the other. "Thanks for that, Daisy. Hope it was worth it." She spoke sarcastically to her alter-ego.

 _'Not really,'_ Daisy grimaced, feeling the brunt of their grandfather's anger.

Skye lifted the blanket on the bed and crawled under. "You should have woken me. I wouldn't have gotten caught."

 _'He's like a damn cat. You don't even know he's there until it's too late.'_ Daisy wondered for a moment if she inherited the inhuman gene from Yeye. Yeah, maybe he was Cat Man! Geez, she had to stop letting Skye's crazy kid thoughts get mixed up with her own.

"Probably from all that spy stuff he did in the war. You know he was a double agent, right?" Skye reminded her older self.

No, Daisy didn't know that. In fact she knew pretty much nothing about her grandparents, didn't even know his name until she met him here. May was a private person and Daisy respected that.

"One of us coulda been the look out and we would have seen him coming. Why didn't you wake me up and how the hell did you move me without me knowing it?"

 _'Don't say 'hell' kid.'_ Daisy sighed.

"You say it all the time." Skye retorted. "In fact you say a lot of things I probably shouldn't so why can't I just say them as well?"

Daisy shook her head. It was one thing to talk to yourself but quite another to argue with yourself. _'Fine, kid, suit yourself. When May hears you, it's your funeral.'_

"I'm not _stupid_ , you know and I sure don't have a death wish." Skye huffed then stopped and thought for a moment. "Do you?" She asked as if she thought maybe it was true.

 _'Of course not,_ ' Daisy blew her off. 'Not anymore,' she thought hoping Skye would never see into that dark memory.

"So how'd ya do it?" Skye's tone changed from angry to anticipatory. "How'd ya make me sleep walk? Can you do it again? It's so cool!" Her voice squeaked with excitement at the last statement.

 _'You forget, dear little me that it's my body too. That's why you can still sit down, thank me very much.'_ Daisy reminded her kid-self. _'You're not as 'in control' as you thought.'_

"Probably cuz I was asleep," Skye snorted as she curled into a ball and rolled on her side, pulling her stuffed dog close. "So…ya gonna tell me what you found?"

 _'Nothing, kid, I didn't find anything.'_ Daisy lied. _'The only thing Co…dad's got on his computer is bills, history and Captain America stuff.'_

"Yeah, that's why he keeps it locked up with some dumb password and flicks it off if I so much as walk into the bedroom when he's in there. You're lying Daisy. I should know. I'm you. I know when I'm lying."

That made some kind of illogical sense and Daisy remembered someone telling her once that she could lie to the world but not to herself. Geez, how many people actually ever got to really, really and truly experience that? One, exactly one…well, maybe two if you counted Skye as a separate being but she wasn't because they were the same and even though there were two of them there was really only one. Daisy wondered if she gave herself a headache if Skye would have one too.

"Stop it, Daisy," the girl in the bed whined as she snuggled into her pillow and pulled the blankets up to her chin. "I don't want a headache."

Well, that answered that. Apparently, Skye wasn't able to access everything in Daisy's head but some things were just out there. Daisy wondered if she some how had tapped into social media, but then again it didn't exist in 2002. Well, not like it did in 2017 anyway. Friendster was to Facebook like drizzle to a hurricane…whoa, dopey analogy, Daisy thought. Anyway, she had to find a way to build a Skye-proof firewall or password or…she'd talk to Fitz about keeping this little future hacker out of the parts of her head space she had no place being.

"What's Facebook and yeah that was dumb," Skye mumbled and Daisy rolled her eyes. Maybe she just shouldn't think at all, or maybe it had something to do with proximity, but then how do you distance yourself from yourself. "So, what did you find out in there?" Skye yawned.

 _'Nothing, kid, there was nothing to help us get in touch with the folks. Guess we just have to wait.'_ Daisy smiled. That wasn't a lie. She didn't find anything helpful.

"I hate waiting." Skye sighed as she finally lost her battle with the gods of sleep and took a very tired Daisy into the oblivion of computer generated dreams along with her.

xx

"Well, I can't see a damn thing but that thump was deafening." Phil spoke from inside the rather wide chute at the end of the hall. "No poof of flame, so I guess that's a good thing." He said as he pulled out and turned toward Melinda.

It had take a few minutes to drag the dead soldier from the office door and get him up high enough to slide him down the chute as a test. If nothing else, his body might break their fall and prevent a few broken bones. Melinda pushed Phil aside and peered into the long dark tunnel. They'd been wrong about one thing. It wasn't a straight drop down thirty feet. It was more of a slope or an angle and she wondered just what the people in this building were dropping down there in the first place. It didn't smell like smoke or like garbage, in fact it smelled more like formaldehyde. "What exactly is this place?" She raised one eyebrow at Phil as she turned back toward him.

"Not really sure, my Russian is a bit rusty and most of the letters were crumpled off the façade of the building. Why?" He spoke as he maneuvered the large bag on his shoulder and considered what to send down next. He could hear the movements of the troops outside and knew it would not be long before they stormed the building. Of course it would take them a few minutes to get up three floors being that they had destroyed the first flight of stairs and dismantled the ancient elevator.

Melinda walked back to one of the open doors and pulled it shut. She looked at the printed name on the beveled glass window – Го одск й мо г. There were letters missing but she had no problem filling them in. "Great," she growled under her breath. "I hope that guy you sent down there is the only one at the bottom." She snarled as she walked back toward Phil.

"I don't hear anything down there and there was no reaction to his untimely arrival," Phil smiled as he secured the rifle over his chest. "I don't think there's even a way for them to get in there with all that rubble surrounding this place." He thought, trying to imagine the outside of the building before he used it as cover the day before.

"Yeah, well his friends wouldn't be making much noise." She peeked into the dark hole again. "And you need to brush up on your languages. Spanish isn't the only one you need, hombre sabio." She sneered. "This place is a morgue."

Phil's eyebrows shot up as he looked into the shoot again, then laughed. "What kind of morgue drops bodies down a chute from the third floor?"

She looked at him over her brows, "the kind that doesn't really care what happens to them. Damn it, Phil there could be a pile of rotting flesh at the bottom of this thing." She sighed as she pushed him aside and peered down again.

"Naw," he disagreed. "We'd have smelled it by now. Hell, the whole town would reek. Probably a pick up point for whoever was responsible for getting rid of the evidence." He shrugged his shoulders as he grabbed the top of the tube and bounced his feet into the opening. The voices from below were getting louder. "Ten seconds, Mel and you follow me. Send the bag and then you get in. I will catch you. I promise." He just looked at her, just long enough to let her know how much he cared…how much he needed her. She nodded her promise and watched him disappear into the blackness.

Phil expected a hard landing but slid onto a flat surface stopping when his feet hit the soldier he sent down first. He pushed the body forward and heard it drop a few feet to the floor. It had been dark upstairs but at least the moonlight gave a bit of relief, but this place was like a damn cave. He'd go dark blind before his eyes ever adjusted to the black of the basement. He moved to the side as the telltale sound of vinyl zipping along the surface of the chute announced the bag's arrival. A few seconds later he felt rather than heard Melinda's presence stopping her from tumbling onto their buffer friend with his outstretched arms.

"You couldn't have picked up a flashlight on your search, could you?" She whispered in his ear as he helped her to stand.

"I wasn't on a trip to Wal-Mart, Mel." He let out a huffed breath in answer.

They both fell dead silent as the voices now came from above them and a stream of light poured down the chute. Melinda was sure she had not left a blood trail. She and Phil had used another set of gauze pads and twice as much bandage to cover her wounds. Not being able to see she felt the front and back of the wrapping bring her hands back dry. Nothing had seeped through.

There were too many of them speaking too quickly for Melinda to translate and Phil was no help with it but they apparently had found their ploy with the grate and were working at removing the grate. That would give them a little time. She tried to get her bearings in the darkness, but she had entered the building from another point and this was unfamiliar. If those men figured out they'd been duped they would no doubt come sliding down that chute in force and they would have light. She and Phil needed to act quickly.

"Pretty sure whoever worked here didn't do it in the dark…well, let's hope they didn't." Phil shivered with the thought.

"No heat, no electricity, pretty much everything here runs on generators. So even if you find a switch it isn't going to turn on any lights. And further more light of any kind is just gonna help those goons upstairs find us faster." Melinda scolded as she inched her way to the wall. It was rough and rocky. "Follow me," she ordered as she continued moving.

Phil squinted his eyes, "Easy for you to say," he grumbled as he hefted the large bag onto his shoulder and slid along the wall behind Melinda.

She stopped when she reached the corner. Phil crashed into her causing a quick moan of pain and a disgusted sigh. "Watch it," she growled back at him. He didn't answer, just snarled silently at her back or her front, he wasn't sure since he couldn't see her but that meant she couldn't see him either.

Melinda felt to her right. Metal, cold and smooth meant she'd found the exit door she knew was blocked with rubble. She'd checked it from the outside when trying to enter the building. It helped her visualize their location. She took a breath and moved along tilting her head to silently let Phil know to follow then realized the futility of her action. "This way," she whispered as she reached back and took his hand.

Phil smiled at the gesture then frowned at the chill he felt in Melinda's grip. Her hand was like ice and she said they'd have to wade or was it swim through icy water to reach the end of whatever the hell that tunnel pipe thing was she told him about earlier. He knew it was freezing outside as well. Great, they'd escaped the hands of the Gulag, scratched around in the black pit of despair, only to die of exposure in the Chechen woods. Things just kept getting better and better.

"Look," Melinda's voice actually sounded excited.

"Look, right like I could actually see anyt…" Phil grumbled but stopped as she grabbed his head and pushed him in front of her. Damn she was strong, even when wounded. He only thought about complaining until he did see it. A tiny sliver of light about the size of a pencil point coming through a crack in the foundation or a bullet hole or shit, who cared where it was coming from it was there and his eyes drank it in like someone lost in the desert finding an oasis. Melinda took his hand and led him into the teeny spotlight. She pulled her pack off her back hanging in on one arm and yanked open the zipper. He watched her fish around inside for a moment then pulled a small circular object from inside.

Recognizing it immediately he turned up a side of his lip. "Really, that's the first thing you think of…checking your face?"

When she looked back at him he was sure she was about to break his nose, but she merely opened the small compact and with a crisp snap broke it in half. He swallowed hard as she never took her eyes from him as she bent to the floor and suddenly the room was lit with a filmy dim light. Phil looked where Melinda had dropped the small round mirror into the beam of light and created a small circle of illumination. Granted it wasn't much more than one of those glowy stick things kids ran around with at picnics or celebrations, but it was a light in the darkness for which he was grateful.

"Oh," Phil managed to gulp and Melinda merely glared at him before turning and walking out of the glow and into the darkness once again. He waited a few seconds and started to take a step when she returned. She picked up the mirror and angled it in the direction she had come revealing a ring about the size of a donut pressed into a recessed spot on the floor.

"That's it," she breathed as she nodded toward the object and he quickly moved to pull open the cover.

A few moments later he pulled the cover back into place and watched as she stashed the mirror back into her pack. There was no more light in the tunnel than there had been in the basement and for now they stood on dry packed dirt, but he could hear the steady drip of water in the distance. He could smell the moldy staleness of it and braced himself for the pain of the cold that would soon encircle them both. Again Melinda's hand reached back and took his as they slowly moved toward whatever awaited them.

xx

Skye rolled over and blinked her eyes at the bright light that filled her bedroom. She grabbed the fish shaped clock on her night stand and brushed her hair from her eyes. Almost ten-o-clock! Yeye never let her sleep this late. He believed sleeping late wasted away most of the day. She almost fell out of bed but caught herself before hitting the floor. She bent and gathered the blankets then pushed them back onto the mattress. Remembering last night's weather forecast she ran to the window and peered out at the fresh blanket of snow that covered her yard and the street beyond. It was Sunday. They'd take their time cleaning the streets. Nobody really needed to go anywhere today.

"Yes!" she threw a fist across her middle. If it snowed that much grandmother could not arrive today. That gave her twenty-four hours to convince Yeye not to tell her about her venture into Daddy's computer. No, make that Daisy's fiasco with the computer. Nainai would not be as understanding as Yeye.

Speaking of Yeye, he must still be pretty angry at her. He hadn't even called her for breakfast. He always made sure she ate breakfast. She quickly dressed, pulled the covers on her bed in a semi, looks pretty good to me order and made for the stairs with one quick stop in the bathroom. Skye was halfway down the steps when she realized she could not feel Daisy. Maybe she was still sleeping; after all they had quite a wild night. So yeah, she was probably still sleeping.

She stopped in the parlor and sighed at the site of the very sad Christmas tree with only four ornaments hanging on its skinny branches. It reminded her of how she felt and she slowed her steps as she wandered into the kitchen finding it just as empty as the rest of the house. In the sink she found not one but two cups and the ceramic teapot on the table was still warm. Grandfather had to be somewhere and who else was there and how had they gotten there in all that snow. Skye noticed the basement door was slightly ajar.

"We definitely traced back to this address," the man's voice said with a very gruff tone.

"It is not possible," Yeye answered. "There is no one here with that kind of ability. There is only my young granddaughter and myself. You must be mistaken."

"We don't make that kind of mistake." The voice boomed. "Someone at this location was snooping around our files last night and we intend to find out who and how."

"You intend to interrogate a child?" A third voice snarled. That one she recognized. It was Nainai. How the hell did she get here! Skye slapped a hand over her mouth even though she had only thought the word.

"I intend to find out just how this happened and make sure it doesn't happen again." The angry man spoke again.

"Perhaps it was, what do you call it, a glinch?" William offered.

"Glitch," the voice corrected. "And glitches don't bypass passwords and search for specifics, no it was not a glitch. Someone, someone here was in those files."

"Our granddaughter is ten-years-old, do you really think she has the capability to do what you are describing?" Nainai posed.

"She's half May and half Coulson, I suspect she has the capability to do just about anything she damn well sets her mind to doing." The man growled back.

Skye pressed her back against the wall closest to the open door. Part of her beamed with pride at being compared to her parents and part of her shook with the fear of what the heck Daisy had gotten them into…well it really was her idea so she guessed they were both to blame. This guy sounded official. What if Daisy got into Daddy's work stuff? Maybe it was his boss or the police. What if they took her to jail?

"If Skye is responsible for this then we shall be the ones to see that she does not repeat the offense." Lian May informed the man with the angry voice. "I assure you it will be dealt with properly."

For a moment there was silence and Skye was afraid maybe they were on their way to the kitchen. She held her breath listening for a clue. She heard an odd sound, like a buzzer or an alarm clock and then the man spoke.

"When?...How long?...Twenty minutes…"

She heard a soft click and he spoke again. This time his voice was not so loud and not so angry.

"You see to it she stays away from that computer. If I have to come back I'll be the one dealing with it, understand?"

The basement door opened then shut and Skye felt rather than heard an odd vibration that seems to shake the whole house then it was quiet again. She could hear her grandparents speaking softly in Mandarin but could not make out what they were saying.

Daisy watched as what was probably the precursor of a Quinjet lifted from the Coulson's backyard. It was a lot smaller and more helicopter-ish but she suspected there was a much larger aircraft high above. She heard Coulson say that they used craft like the Bus back in the 90's so it only stood to reason something else was up there. She recognized the tall black man with the eye patch. She'd never met him but she knew exactly who he was. Apparently, she had struck a nerve when she hacked into SHIELD's system during the night.

 _'Relax, they don't put kids in jail and anyway they can't prove a thing. Just keep quiet and it'll be fine.'_ She assured a very stressed out Skye.

 _'Where were you?!'_ Skye threw a punch that Daisy actually felt land on her arm.

Daisy yawned to cover the 'ouch' that Skye rubbed off her own shoulder. ' _Catching up on lost sleep, as you recall I did all the dirty work last night while you were snoozing.'_ She elbowed the smaller girl and smiled when Skye teetered just a bit to the left.

 _'Nainai's here. I don't know how the hell she got here, but she's here and we are dead meat! She knows, Skye and she said she's gonna deal with it.'_ Skye was near panic.

 _'Calm down kid, she's grandma for crying out loud.'_ Daisy tried to calm herself. _'And don't say…er think, 'hell''_

 _'Daisy, she's not a make-you-milk-and-cookies-huggy-kissy-grandma!'_ Skye explained with a whine.

 _'We're goin' with the sleep walking excuse because that is really what you did. Right? And tonight we'll give a repeat performance just to prove the point. All that stress about missing your parents at Christmas and all.'_ Daisy smiled. _'Anyway, gramps already took care of it.'_ She absently rubbed her backside with both hands.

Skye was so involved in her think-conversation she did not hear her grandparents until the door swung open and her grandmother glared down at her. She swallowed hard and immediately cast her eyes to the floor. It was disrespectful to stare into the eyes of her elders. Mommy didn't practice that belief but Nainai was a firm believer.

"Breakfast first. Then we talk." The older woman put a hand on Skye's shoulder and escorted her to the table commanding her to sit without saying a word.

Skye kept her head down and ate the oatmeal placed in front of her without complaint.

 **⁓ ⁓**

"I don't remember, Nainai. Wǒ bù jìdé." Skye pleaded her case. It wasn't a lie because until her grandfather woke her in daddy's office she really remembered nothing.

"It does not matter what language you say it in, Skye." Lian spoke in a calm, emotionless tone. "What matters is the truth of your statement."

"Yes, grandmother," Skye spoke just above a whisper.

 _'Why are you so scared? You_ _are_ _telling the truth.'_ Daisy whispered then rolled her eyes remembering no one but Skye could hear her.

Skye did not dare think back, certain that her grandmother could read her mind or at least look right into her thoughts. Truth was, Skye was terrified of the woman. She always had been. Lian May had never so much as raised her voice to the child but had told her on many occasions that the punishment for her disrespectful actions would have been several strikes with a thin bamboo shoot if she had lived in her time. Skye wasn't sure what that meant but she was careful to be on her best behavior whenever her grandmother was present. This time was an epic failure.

 _'Sleep walking, kid, remember? Tell her about the sleep walking.'_ Daisy urged the girl, pushing away the gnawing feeling she had of May when they first met. She'd been terrified of the woman and it took almost two years before she bumped that down to a mild fear. Here it was five years later and she would still shake in her boots, inhuman powers and all, if she knew May was angry with her. _'Go on, tell her,_ ' she gave Skye a little shove which knocked her forward a bit.

Skye covered the sudden move with a quick cough. "I might…I think maybe I was sleep walking, Nainai." She peeked sideways at her grandmother and caught just a hint of frustration in her gaze.

Yeye stood silently across the room with his hands behind his back. She glanced up at him once and immediately knew he also put no faith in her explanation.

"Your mother has never told either of us of this sleep walking." Grandmother replied.

"That's because it just started!" Skye spoke quickly, throwing up her hands and glaring at her grandmother who merely stared back until the girl once again dropped her gaze to her lap. She considered apologizing again but knew it would be like sticking Jello to a tree. Instead she drew a deep breath and let it out slowly knowing full well it was just another sign of disrespect.

"I didn't even know I was there until grandfather yelled at me." Skye mumbled. "It isn't fair for you to punish me when I didn't even know what Dai…" she stopped herself and thought quickly. "What day is was or where I was or what was happening."

Daisy breathed a sigh of relief. _'Close one kid, we want then to believe you were sleep walking not going all schizophrenic.'_

Skye couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her.

"You find this amusing, child?" Lian posed as she stood and began pacing in front of the chair where Skye sat.

"No, grandmother…I'm…I'm just nervous." She watched her grandmother's shoes go back and forth in front of her.

"As you should be," Lian said without emotion, remaining stoically calm. "Why is it then that you told your grandfather this when he found you in your father's office."

"I don't know. I…I guess I just was too scared and confused. I didn't even know how I got there and he didn't really give me a lot of time to tell him anything." Skye explained. There were no lies in that statement. She truly had no idea what was happening when William found her in Daddy's office. She was on the verge of tears and that would put grandmother right over the wall. Lian hated crying. It was a sign of weakness.

Daisy felt the girl start to lose control and put an arm around her. _'You want me to take over, kid? Maybe you need a break.'_

Skye shook her head. She had no desire to have grandmother make due on her bamboo stick threat and she wasn't quite sure Daisy would be the one to smooth the woman's feathers. In fact right now all she felt from her big-self was the need to defend and that would be a very big mistake.

"Please, grandmother. I am not lying to you. I promise it is the absolute truth. I don't remember. I was walking in my sleep. I just miss my mom and dad so much I can't stop thinking about them." Now she was crying and desperately trying to quell her tears. She wiped her cheeks on the sleeve of her sweat shirt and sniffed as hard as she could.

The telephone rang and William excused himself to answer. She could hear his muffled voice from the parlor. Grandmother stopped pacing and stood in front of her.

"You will go to your room and stay there until your grandfather and I talk. We will decide what is to be done and how much truth is in your statement." It was a very polite order, but an order none the less. Skye opened her mouth to speak but was stopped with a glare. "It would be unwise to speak now, child. You are dismissed. Go." Lian pointed toward the stairs and watched as the little child dragged herself out of the room and onto the staircase.

William returned to the room. Just from his look Lian knew something had happened. She held up a hand for him to remain silent and listened for the sound of footfalls on the stairs. "I do not want to escort you to your room, Skye. You do not want me to do it either." A few seconds later she heard the door close and knew her granddaughter was out of earshot. She turned back to William and nodded.

"It is not good," was all he said.

xx

Phil held the large bag over his head and waded through the chest deep water. He could no longer feel his feet and wondered how he was able to still move his legs. His teeth chattered so hard he feared biting off his tongue. In fact he could have already done so, it was so cold it was numb. Melinda continued to move ahead of him, not that he could see her but the wake in the frigid water let him know there was motion. Occasionally something bumped his side and he thanked fate for the darkness that hid whatever it was. He really had no desire to know what was floating in this arctic cesspool.

"Not far," Melinda's voice was strained although he was pretty sure she could not feel the pain in her side. She was more than likely up to her neck in the stuff and luckily her waterproof pack did not have to be head above the pool.

Phil didn't really feel the water level receding because he pretty much felt nothing but as it became easier to move forward he realized they had come to the end of the frozen torture. He practically fell over Melinda as they reached a dry spot. He could smell the fresh air and hear the sounds of nature…wind, brush moving…and knew they were close to the exit of this nightmare. Melinda had used her beacon to summon the Evac Team. He had one more to give them their exact location. He'd wait until he could see the coming of dawn, until then they needed warmth and they needed it quickly.

"Get those clothes off," he ordered the shivering woman who merely raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Here? Now?"

He already had his shoes off and his shirt unbuttoned. "Don't be ridiculous. You need…we both need to get out of these wet clothes." He pulled off his shirt and undid his belt, quickly stepping out of his pants and shorts. He opened the bag he'd protected all the way through the icy water and pulled out thermal Mylar blanket large enough to cover them both. "Come on, Mel," he spoke to the darkness. "We have to get warm. This blanket…our body heat, we need it." He felt her body move close to his and felt the ice cold of it. He pulled her close and wrapped them in the silver blanket then slowly lowered them to the floor of the small cave. Their clothes would freeze before they dried but at least they had a small chance.

Melinda laughed, "Can't even imagine the chatter when they find our frozen _naked_ bodies."

"We aren't going to freeze, Mel."

"Oh, that's even better. They just find our naked bodies."

Phil laughed and pulled her closer. "Remember that mission in Nepal when we were rookies…"

Melinda shook her head. "I do and it's still something everyone talks about in survival training. This is all we need. Part two of the naked survivor tale."

"Well, at least we're a little more comfortable with each other this time." He chuckled into her neck. "Would be nice to have one of those down filled sleeping bags, though."

"You are incorrigible." She smiled as she kissed him and pulled the blanket closer around them.

Melinda lay on Phil's chest, sleeping away the pain that had returned with a vengeance. Phil watched as the blackness at the end of the tunnel turned a soft shade of grey before pressing the button on the beacon he had managed to keep in the palm of his hand. If the team was on the ground they would be found soon. He'd let Melinda sleep until then.

 **⁓ ⁓**

"Agent Coulson! Coulson!"

Phil jumped, grabbing the weapon he kept at his side.

"It's okay, sir. We're here to get you out. Are you hurt, sir?" The young agent flipped up his visor and tried to hide his blush. He'd been told one of the team was hurt and for that he was prepared, but never had he imagined this scene. "We need some blankets in here." He spoke into the radio inside his helmet as he eyed the senior agent. "Also, some…uh…some clothes…clothing of some kind…we need clothing."

Phil smiled at the man's embarrassment. "Water's freezing," he shrugged, "the only way to warm up."

"I…a…I've heard the story…I," the young man smiled.

Two more officers hurried into the cave carrying a backboard. Phil held up a hand and pulled himself out of the blanket, making sure Melinda was covered. He shivered in the cold before one of the soldiers pulled off his outer jacket and handed it to the man.

"She's been shot, through and through, left side just above her hip. Did a little field first aid but that water did nothing to help." The first man gave a quick nod as he pulled equipment from a large orange case and started an IV in Melinda's hand. In minutes the Med Techs had her strapped to the board and hurried out with her to the waiting copter. Another soldier arrived with a jumpsuit, down filled jacket and boots for which Coulson was grateful.

The medical copter lifted and disappeared leaving the small team to wait for a second Evac Copter. The guerillas that had searched all night for the escaped thieves had seen it and approached with guns blazing. It would not be safe for the second copter to return just yet.

Coulson pulled out the automatic rifle and followed the team. They'd fight their way to the clearing and wait. The battle didn't last long as the returning copter was well-armed sending the few remaining men scurrying for cover. Coulson and the small team ducked lower to avoid the copter blades and ran for the vehicle. It wasn't until he was seated and watching the village of Novyy disappear that he felt the burn in his right shoulder. Reaching inside the thick jacket he felt the sticky liquid that covered his chest and brought back his bloody hand a few minutes before the world went black.

xx

Skye threw herself on her bed, sobbing into her pillow and clutching her stuffed dog beneath her chest. She just could not deal with all of this any longer. The last time she remembered wanting her mom this badly was the day she started kindergarten and even then it wasn't as bad. If she were a little kid she'd throw herself on the floor and have an all out kicking screaming tantrum.

Daisy wrapped her arm around her little self and pulled her close. _'It's not that bad, kid. I think they believed you, otherwise you'd already be paying the price and don't fret. Like I told you, I'll take the full brunt of it…whatever it is.'_

"I just want my mom, Daisy," Skye sobbed. "I need her. I need my mom so bad."

Now that was an ache Daisy could share. She knew exactly what it was like to want, to need a mom. Long before she even knew what the need was, she would feel that empty pain and cry endlessly inconsolable. That was what Skye felt now, only her need had a face and a name…Melinda May.

The child ignored the soft tap on her door, pulling herself into a tighter ball and sobbing even harder into her pillow. She cried even harder as she felt the mattress dip down with the weight of someone seated on its edge. Daisy prepared to take the lead, mentally pushing Skye behind her.

"Sūnnǚ, wǒmen xūyào shuōhuà," William May's gentle voice cut through his granddaughter's tears.

"I don't want to talk, grandfather." Skye cried into her pillow. "I told you the truth. I just want my mom. Please, just let me be alone."

"Zhège fēicháng zhòngyào. Nǐ bìxū tīng." The man spoke quietly as he placed a hand on the girl's back. "Wǒ xūyào hé nǐ tán tán nǐ de fùmǔ."

Skye turned over and rubbed the tears from her eyes. She saw the sadness in her grandfather's eyes and sprang up grabbing his hand in her own. "What happened to them, grandpa? Tell me. Are they…are they d…"

 _'Don't even say it, don't think it'_ Daisy told herself, really told  herself. _'They're fine. They're right here. They're right here.'_

Skye wasn't listening to herself, she only heard her grandfather.

"No, no dear child," he brought her close and wrapped his arms around her trembling body. "They have been hurt and will be home with us by tomorrow, but they are very much alive." Skye's sobs were pitiful and William looked over his shoulder at the woman who stood like a sentry at the door. Lian nodded her approval and turned away, leaving the man to console the girl.

xx

Skye was up before the sun rose and hurried to the parlor to finish decorating the sorry excuse for a Christmas tree that stood in the corner. She chose each ornament carefully and placed one on every branch. The angel she set on the mantle. That would be last. That was tradition. She and Daddy would put it up while Mom took a picture. Grandpa said they were hurt but he didn't say how, only that they were on their way home and by tonight they would be here. Skye wanted everything to be perfect.

She opened the bag that contained those long stringy silver icicle things that Melinda would place meticulously on each branch. Skye never had the patience and felt they should just be thrown on in handfuls but today she pulled them out like magical thread and laced then through the picky needles. It took a lot longer than Skye usually took to decorate the tree but she stood back when finished and smiled at her accomplishment.

"Beautiful, granddaughter, Fēicháng piàoliang." William smiled from the foot of the stairs. "Your hard work has made a small tree look enormous."

"Xièxiè, yéyé." Skye beamed. "I am so sorry I was such a brat about it."

William moved next to the girl and placed an arm on her shoulder. "You are a child. You will make many mistakes, for which I will forgive you." He squeezed her arm gently and walked toward the kitchen. "I think I will make blueberry pancakes today."

Skye snickered. "It's December, Yeye, blueberries are not in season."

"It seems your grandmother has provided some. They are very much in season where she has been the last few months. This and she knows they are your favorite." He smiled as he walked into the kitchen with Skye on his heels.

The rest of the day moved slowly, as if someone had turned off time and it refused to budge. Skye spent most of it avoiding her grandmother, as she usually did. They'd shared breakfast together and she thanked her several times for the blueberries, even commented on how big they were, but never got more than two or three words from the woman. Grandmother was always stern but she figured she was still angry, maybe still contemplating delivering on her bamboo switch threat. So, the girl did her best to be respectful and helpful. She cleared the table and did the dishes, rinsing each one thoroughly before setting it in the dishwasher. She swept the floor and took out the trash.

After cleaning the kitchen she put on her boots and snow garb then set off to clear the walks and porch of the snow which had continued to fall all day yesterday. The plows had been down the street several times and every kid in the neighborhood was swarming all over the giant snow mountains they had created. Several of them called to her, but she merely waved and continued her work. By the time she stomped off the snow and trudged in for lunch she was exhausted. After a few bite of a toasted cheese sandwich she could barely hold her eyes open and didn't even remember making her way to the parlor couch. Yeye smiled as he threw a blanket over her.

 _'Show time,'_ Daisy smiled, knowing that both grandparents were fully convinced the girl was sound asleep. She slowly eased herself into the control seat and brought Skye's sleeping body to her feet. Just to keep it creepy she decided to keep the girl's eyes closed. She thought about laughing but was afraid Skye's body would duplicate the action. Yeye and Nainai were in the kitchen quietly sharing a cup of tea. Daisy walked easily into the room and decided she was still a bit hungry. Skye had been sleeping long enough for the kitchen to have been cleaned so there was no chance she'd finish that great sandwich or that steamy cup of tomato soup so she opted for her other favorite, sugary sweet cereal and nice cold milk. Skye headed directly toward the cupboard where it was stored.

"I thought you were asleep," William smiled at the girl as she entered the room, ignoring his comment and walking right past. He noticed quickly that her eyes were closed yet she moved as if she saw everything. "Skye?" He was concerned.

Daisy smiled knowing Skye would do the same. She reached up and pulled out her favorite cereal then grabbed a bowl and set both on the table before opening the refrigerator and pulling out the milk. She poured both into the bowl without spilling a drop, picked up her spoon and began eating, all while keeping her eyes shut tightly.

"What nonsense is this, granddaughter?" Lian inquired as she placed her cup on the saucer.

William put a finger to his lips and watched as the girl finished her cereal, then replaced every item where it belonged, rinsed her bowl and set it in the dishwasher then walked back to the parlor. Lian watched as William followed and motioned for her to do the same.

Daisy watched both follow and wondered what else she could do to convince them. She stood in front of the tree and reached out taking a delicate glass ball from one branch then took another and switched places. She then bent down and flicked on the tree lights as her grandparents still watched but still seemed unconvinced.

 _'Time for the grand finale,'_ Daisy thought and moved to the front door pulling it open and stepping out into the wintry weather in her bare feet. She almost raised her fists in triumph as Lian May gasped. _'A reaction! A damn reaction from Lian May, the only person more stoic than Melinda herself."_

"Skye!" William grabbed the girl's arm and stopped her before she stepped outside. Daisy let go of control and the child snapped back. Her knees went weak and she stumbled back into the house.

"Grandfather," Skye looked up at William clearly confused. He helped her back to the sofa where she sat down and looked up at him for a moment before dropping back onto the pillows and closing her eyes. In seconds she was sound asleep once again.

Lian moved to stand next to William and stared down at the sleeping child. "Perhaps we should reconsider the sleep walking story." He calmly stated.

By six p.m. Skye was pacing when she wasn't peeking through the curtains. Grandmother had spoken to her for a very long time about respect and privacy but also understood that she was not in complete control due to sleep walking. She still didn't sound convinced but assured the child she would not be punished. Skye was relieved but only partially listening since she was more excited about her parents returning than anything her grandmother might have to say.

When the black SUV pulled into the driveway, Skye was practically ready to scream. "They're home Daisy. They're here." She bounced up and down as she whispered to herself then raced to the door and pulled it open.

xx

Daisy tossed her head side to side struggling with some unseen foe. Coulson placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered softly. "Hey, kiddo, come on, come back to us. Your okay, we're all here."

"Why does this keep happening?" May demanded. "She should just wake up, like the rest of us."

Fitz shook his head as he flicked through his programming. "She's no longer connected. Whatever is holding her there is not the program."

Jemma checked vitals on Daisy. She was certainly stressed but everything was within normal parameters. "She's not suffering from any medical issue. It's more like some kind of nightmare she just can't wake from."

May nodded once then stepped next to the girl. She placed a hand on her shoulder and held tightly. "Daisy, listen to me," her voice was firm, stern almost as if she ordered the girl to pay attention. "It's just a dream. You need to wake up. Daisy? Wake up." She gave a strong shake and Daisy's eyes sprang open.

"May!" She sat up quickly. "May, you're safe. You're not hurt." She pulled the surprised woman into a hug refusing to release her.

May looked at Coulson. He moved to the opposite side of Daisy's gurney and wrapped his arms around both of them.

"Coulson," Daisy sobbed not caring that she was crying. Her parents were back and they were safe and they were holding her and the empty ache that was her need for them filled with the love they shared.

 _'_ _They're back, Skye and they're safe.'_ Daisy spoke to the little girl in her mind, feeling her relief as well


	14. Chapter 14 - Show Me that Smile Again

**Chapter 14**

 **Show Me That Smile Again**

Daisy sobbed for some time, refusing to let go of either Coulson or May and unable to explain why. All she knew was she had an uncontrollable need to hold on to them, to keep them close. Although they'd been together for months she felt as if she'd been missing them for ages. If she were a little kid, if she were Skye, little Skye she'd plant herself on Coulson's lap and latch on to May and never let go, but she was an adult and eventually she realized how silly the whole thing was. She tried to hide her embarrassment, lying that she was confused by coming out of the Fitzwork and back to reality. She tried laughing it off, but saw the look in May's eyes and knew her bluff was pretty transparent. Coulson was a bit more subtle but she figured he didn't put much stock in her story either.

May drummed her fingers on the foot of Daisy's cot and looked up at Coulson. His nod was so small no one but she noticed it. "She doesn't leave here until she has a complete work up," she spoke to Simmons but tossed her head toward Daisy.

"Wha….no…I'm fine, May, really…" Daisy protested as she threw her legs over the side of the mattress, stopping at the glare she received from the woman standing next to her.

"Complete, Simmons, the whole works," May placed one finger on Jemma's shoulder. "You find one thing, one half millimeter off kilter and this whole thing is done.

Jemma eyes met Daisy's. The younger girl shook her head minutely. Jemma raised her brows. She was not about to cross May. This whole thing was supposed to create memories for the 'family' to share but so far Coulson was suffering from blinding migraines, May was more agitated than anyone had ever seen her and Daisy…well, she couldn't quite put a name to what was troubling Daisy.

"May, really…come on…I'm fine…." Daisy slid off the gurney before she could be stopped and turned to Coulson. "Tell her, AC…tell her I'm fine."

Coulson stopped for a moment and stared at the young girl, remembering that despite all she'd been through, she was still a young girl and she hadn't referred to him by that term for years. It warmed his heart to hear it again but he had to agree with May, partly because he knew better than to second guess her but mostly because he was concerned with Daisy's recent behavior as well. He too, remembered everything from the computer program both through his own eyes and through his computer code self. He wondered if that split was the cause of his headaches but wondered again why they seemed to disappear the closer he go to the program's version of Melinda May. Even the thought of that relationship eased the pain he had grown so adept at masking.

He turned Daisy to face him and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Okay, how about we all calm down," he spoke to the room then looked the girl in the eye. "We're worried about you kid, that's all. Let Jemma check you out, just to be on the safe side." Daisy opened her mouth to protest. "Humor your folks, this once…without all the drama." She let out a frustrated breath. She didn't agree, just pulled back and leaned against the gurney with her arms crossed over her chest. Coulson almost laughed at the pout he recognized. It hadn't changed from the one the small girl in the program had worn.

"Okay," Coulson brushed his hands together. "Let's give Simmons the room and a little privacy. Fitz," he turned toward the young engineer who had busied himself with his machinery as the argument ensued. "I'd like you to check this program to be sure it's not leaving bits and pieces behind." He walked toward the door, following Fitz.

"Well, that's the whole point, isn't it?" Fitz asked, looking back over his shoulder. "We are creating memories. They should be staying with all of you."

The conversation continued as the men disappeared down the corridor.

"Come on, Simmons, this isn't necessary. I'm fine." Daisy spoke quietly to Jemma as she withdrew the instruments she'd need to perform a complete exam.

May stopped at the door and turned back, having heard the almost whisper. "You don't need me to stay and help, do you Dr. Simmons?"

Jemma looked directly at Daisy but spoke to May. "No, Agent May, I'm sure the patient will be completely cooperative."

Daisy rolled her eyes in defeat as Jemma held out an examination gown. She stared at it for a moment before grabbing it out of the doctor's hand. May smiled a nod as she left the room.

xx

Daisy sat on the edge of the gurney feeling quite exposed in that damn exam gown. She really hated those ill fitting wraparounds. Who designed the damn things anyway? She tried not to watch as Jemma tied a rubber tuby thing around her upper arm and poked her inner elbow to draw blood. After four, FOUR, viles of her precious life source Jemma placed a large cotton ball over the poke and bend Daisy's arm up telling her to keep it that way for a few minutes.

 _'That really hurt! Why's she need so much blood? Geez!'_

Daisy almost fell off the gurney at the sound of Skye's little voice in her head. She grabbed at the edge with one hand while trying to keep her arm up as ordered. Jemma looked back over her shoulder at the ruckus and knit her brows.

"Huh, little light headed after all that blood loss, I guess." Daisy smiled as Jemma pulled a large bandaid across the spot where the draw was made.

Jemma set Daisy's arm down on her lap and pulled a small flashlight from her pocket. She held the girl's head with one hand and peered into her eyes with the small light. "I did not take enough blood to cause that kind of reaction, Daisy." She frowned, suddenly wondering if May was right about the girl's health. A week ago, Daisy had come out of the program with a raging fever that would not break. Her ears and throat were badly infected and Jemma had to use the strongest antibiotics she could find to fight the illness. May was ready to pull the plug then.

 _'Where is this place, Daisy? It's kinda weird in here.'_

Daisy's eyes grew large at the thoughts in her head. How the hell could Skye be with her _here_ … _outside_ Fitz's program?

Jemma stopped listening to Daisy's heart and stared at her. "What is it?" It wasn't difficult to detect the quickening of the girl's heartbeat.

"Nothing," Daisy smiled trying to ignore the giggle that echoed in her mind. _'Knock it off, kid!'_ she chided her kid-self although she hoped she was just imagining the little voice but that might mean she needed a more intense head examination.

Jemma let out a frustrated breath. "So far, everything is within normal range…temperature, respiration, blood pressure, heart rate…" she peered over the edge of her clip board, "with one small exception…" Jemma waited for Daisy's explanation.

Daisy grimaced, "What? Can I help it if you keep that thing in the freezer?" She nodded toward the stethoscope around Jemma's neck.

 _'I don't think she believes you, Daisy. Hey is she really a doctor? She doesn't look much older than us.'_ Skye giggled.

 _'You're only ten, squirt.'_ Daisy think-sniped back giving Jemma the most innocent smile she could muster.

"Be honest with me Daisy, how do you feel? Is everything alright?" Jemma sounded truly concerned.

"I'm fine, Simmons, absolutely fine. I promise." Daisy assured her, thankful that Fitz had not _yet_ figured out how to listen to someone's thoughts. She slid off the table and scrunched up her toes at the chill on the tile floor. "Are we done?"

Jemma held out a small container and pointed to the door at the far side of the room. "Fill this, please." She smiled at Daisy.

Daisy groaned as she took the small plastic cup. "You know I can't just…just…on demand."

Jemma smiled and pushed her toward the door. "It's okay, we have all day. I can wait."

 _'I can!'_ Skye announced with a bit of urgency. _'In fact I really need to…'_

Daisy trudged toward the door. She wasn't thrilled with relieving herself in front of an audience, even if it was her kid-self and it was that self who actually needed to be relieved. Ugh! She was giving herself a headache. _'You should have gone before you left the house,'_ she groaned as she pulled the door closed behind her.

xx

After depositing the dreaded cup in Jemma's neat little cart and collecting her clothing, Daisy escaped to her bunk, easily avoiding May and Coulson, as well as Fitz. She showered, pulled on flannel PJ bottoms and a T-shirt then flopped across her bed. She'd heard nothing from the little voice since she pulled the bathroom door closed and chalked it up to stress and a little Fitzwork hangover. Yeah, that was a good name for it. Heck it was just like a hangover.

 _'A hangover, like you get from being drunk?'_ Skye flopped down beside Daisy.

Daisy refused to acknowledge little Skye's presence. If she didn't think about it, just ignored it, then this crazy hallucination would just go away. Yeah, that was it. That last trip was so vivid, so terrifying that she just carried it over and was having a hard time shaking the experience.

Maybe it was a little of that flu, leftover from last week….that fever was wicked.

 _'If you have a fever, mom's gonna wanna take your temperature and you know what that means.'_ Skye groaned.

Maybe I just need some sleep…yeah a good night's sleep minus the nightmares.

 _'I didn't know big people got nightmares. I thought they only bothered kids. Sometimes I have really scary ones.'_ Skye sat up and swung her legs back and forth over the edge of the bed.

Daisy grabbed a pillow and wrapped it around her head, but it's really hard to block out a voice that is _inside_ your mind.

 _'Is this your…I mean our room? It's really messy. Man, Daisy you're a slob. Mom must take a fit.'_ Skye walked around the small room examining the stark décor.

Daisy tried humming.

 _'It kinda looks more like a prison than a room. Why's it so dark? How come you got no windows?'_ Skye continued, stopping to examine the gauntlets that lay on a small table near the door.

"Why are you here?!" Daisy whined as she rolled over and tossed the pillow across the room.

 _'You brought me.'_ Skye shrugged her shoulders as she turned to face Daisy. _'It's okay, I guess but I didn't get to see Mom and Dad when they got back and I probably missed Christmas, too. I mean it doesn't look much like Christmas around here. You do celebrate Christmas, right?'_ Skye dropped back down on the bed and pouted.

"Of course we celebrate Christmas, but generally not in August." Daisy moaned as she held her head in her hands. This really couldn't be happening. Maybe she was dreaming.

 _'You're not…dreaming, that is. How did it get to be August? It really stinks in this place, like something got burnt.'_ Skye continued to whine.

Daisy's mind swirled with the possibilities of code attaching itself to actual thought then mentally slapped herself with the absurdity. She rubbed her temples and took a deep breath then a thought struck her. "You didn't…what…what do you mean you didn't get to see Mom and Dad?" Daisy distinctly remembered opening the door and seeing them both.

 _'Well, we got to the door and I turned the knob. I wanted to just run right to them but you just pushed past me and then it kinda got all fuzzy, like I was falling or sliding down one of those twisty slides at the water park. Next thing I knew that doctor lady was poking us with that giant needle.'_ Skye explained while rubbing the inside of her left arm. _'I don't think I like her an awful lot. She kinda talks all Englishy like Harry Potter¹.'_

Daisy remembered pushing Skye away…no pushing her back and holding her there. Coulson and May looked pretty bad, beaten and bruised. May was pale and seemed like she was struggling just to walk. Coulson wore a sling and on a scale of one to ten looked to be about a three as compared to May's two. She knew they were hurt, badly hurt and that Skye dive bombing them on the front porch would probably send one or both into oblivion. She also knew it would devastate Skye to see her parents hurt so badly. She needed to protect all of them and in doing so she kept all of them from that reunion they so needed. That was why she had held on to May and Coulson so tightly.

Daisy wasn't sure if apologizing to Skye was the right thing to do because…well, because she really wasn't sorry. Is that how this happened? She asked herself. She had pushed Skye so far back, held her so tightly that when Fitz pulled them out of the computer program did it fail to break their connection. Was she responsible for pulling the kid away from her parents…their parents? Damn had she broken the program? What if she couldn't put Skye back? What if they waited too long and went back at the wrong time and there was a new, older Skye? Damn, would there be three of them? This was just getting worse and worse and who the hell was going to help because absolutely nobody was going to believe her.

Jemma would not only have her undergo every brain scan that existed, she'd demand she see every psychiatrists and psychologist still available to SHEILD and probably a shit load that wasn't. May wouldn't just pull the plug. She'd cut the wires and burn the room that held all the equipment. Hell, if it was possible she'd have Fitz's memory wiped so he couldn't repeat the process…EVER. Coulson might be a little more understanding, but in the end he'd calmly tell her it was for the best. Maybe, just maybe Fitz might be on her side…or at least on the side of science in his quest to find out how the hell this was possible and if he was responsible and could he duplicate the process. Yeah, right that would start the whole argument all over and May might smash every tablet, laptop and PC left on the base.

While Daisy was filling her mind with thoughts Skye neither understood nor cared to share, the little girl once again explored the room. The gauntlets she'd looked at earlier were fascinating. She loved the shine and wished there was a way she could pick them up and see just what they did. She wondered if the sleepwalking trick would work in reverse. Could she just wait for Daisy to fall asleep and then use her body to do a bit more exploring of this weird place? The little girl rubbed her finger under her nose. It really did stink here, like something burned and then got wet. She knew that smell because one of the neighbors garages had caught on fire a few years ago and then the fire fighters put it out. The whole neighborhood smelled just like this stink for weeks. Even after they came and cleaned all the mess away, the smell lingered. She circled the whole room, twice then dragged her feet back to where Daisy still sat on the edge of the bed with her head on her hands, elbows on her knees.

Skye sat and stared at her bigger-self before putting an arm around her shoulders. _'It's okay, Daisy. I know you didn't mean it. I'm not mad.'_ She thought for a moment. _'I'm kinda sad though cuz I really miss mom and dad.'_ The little girl looked around the room again and suddenly was struck with a horrid thought. She pulled her arm back and raised her brows. _'Daisy, are you in prison? Did we do something bad?'_ The little girl bounced a few inches away from her older self.

Daisy dropped her hands, slapping them against her knees. "What? No!" She shook her head and bounced in the opposite direction. "Jail? We didn't…" Daisy stopped, remembering some of the crimes she blamed herself for over the last few years. There were times she felt she belonged in prison or worse, but she'd come to terms with that. "No, no, we…I'm not in jail."

Skye dramatically swiped her brow and smiled. _'Whew, that's a relief, but this place is really crummy.'_

Daisy took the same look that Skye had taken. She had to agree, it was pretty bleak. "Yeah, well it's home," was all Daisy could say.

 _'I'm hungry.'_ Skye announced and Daisy almost laughed at how quickly the kid switched gears. _'Do you have a kitchen? A fridge?'_

Oh, damn this was a problem. It probably was well past the time everyone usually gathered in the common room for supper or dinner or snack or whatever they called it, but since the whole AIDA thing most of the team made sure they got together at least for that one time of the day. It seemed important…to everyone. If she didn't show up, someone would certainly come looking for her and given May's behavior earlier today she was pretty sure who that would be. Skye definitely did not need to meet this version…this true version of Melinda May. Damn it could…would scar the kid for life.

 _'Come on, Daisy! You think too much. I'm hungry.'_ Skye was whining. Daisy hated when she whined, couldn't imagine how anyone ever listened to it.

Daisy considered going for something and bringing back to her room. Sure, Skye could wait here and she'd be back as soon as she could. She'd just tell the others she was over tired and wanted to just have a bite and then turn in for the night. Yeah, like that would work. How the hell do you leave yourself behind and go to another part of the base then come back? Problem was wherever she went, Skye would go as well. She could take a chance and slip out. There was a burger place about two blocks from the base. It was a quick walk…most of the time…when the entire world wasn't hunting for you and your team.

Before Daisy could come up with any kind of plan both girls jumped at the knock on the door. Daisy's heart was in her throat. May would only knock once. If Daisy didn't answer she'd just come in lock or no lock. She could almost hear the seconds ticking.

 _'Aren't ya gonna see who's there?'_ Skye wondered.

"Daisy?" Mack's soft but powerful voice boomed from the other side of the door and Daisy could not help the smile that spread across her face. "Hey, Tremors, you okay?"

Skye crinkled her nose at the nickname as Daisy held up a finger silencing the girl. "Yeah, I'm okay…just a little tired tonight."

She heard Mack's low chuckle. "Yeah, May thought you might be. Got a tray for you, if you're interested. May says if I bring it back she'll be down to make sure you take it."

Daisy was already on her way to the door and pulled it opened as Mack finished. She greeted him with a smile and almost tried to hold the door preventing him from seeing her little visitor before she remembered the kid was all in her mind…literally. She took the tray from him .

"Thanks a lot, Mack. I appreciate it." She yawned as wide as she could as she started to close the door.

"Hey, you better eat at least some of this," the large man pointed to the various foods on the tray. "May _will_ be down to make sure you did. I think she's worried about you, kid."

Daisy faked a laugh. "You tell her, I plan on eating all of it and I'll leave the tray in the all just to show her because I plan to be asleep before she has a chance to visit."

Mack narrowed one eye and raised the opposite brow at Daisy's odd behavior, but most of the dinner time conversation had been about just that. Daisy had been acting strange. Before he could respond, Daisy closed the door. Mack stood for a moment staring at it then shrugged his shoulders, shook his head and walked away.

 _'_ _Who_ _was that?'_ Skye asked, wide eyed.

"I thought you were hungry." Daisy changed the subject as she set the tray on the nightstand and inspected the menu.

xx

The empty tray was in the hall, just outside the door, Skye was finally quiet and Daisy was curled up in her bed. The kid had been hungry, or maybe Daisy was just as hungry or together they were famished because she'd eaten everything on that tray and wished for more. After sliding the tray out the door with her foot, just to make sure she didn't accidentally run into Agent May, Daisy pulled down her blanket and started to climb into bed only to be stopped by a very indignant Skye who insisted she march into the bathroom and brush their teeth. Skye was not about to explain to her mom why she hadn't brushed. Daisy rolled her eyes and let out a frustrated breath but acquiesced just to keep the kid content.

Daisy had a plan. It was probably a very dumb plan, but it had to work. She'd put it into action after she had a little shut eye, after everyone else was asleep. She really was tired.

Skye was not, and she had a plan of her own.

Daisy turned toward the wall and pulled the blanket around her shoulders. She closed her eyes and tried to block out everything that swirled around in her head. Skye sat on the pillow next to her. She watched her big self and frowned at the restlessness that Daisy wrestled. Skye knew how to take care of that. She placed a hand softly on Daisy's hair and stroked it gently. Daisy jumped at first but then relaxed as Skye's young voice began singing soft and sweet.

 _'Shi shang zhi you ma ma hao. You ma de hai zi xiang ge bao._ _Tou jin ma ma de huai bao. Xin fu xiang bu liao.'_

Daisy fell into the soft rhythm of the child's song, instantly translating the words in her mind. ' _Mom is the only dearest in the world, she is the most valued treasure. Jump into mom's heart and have endless happiness.'_ She knew she'd heard this song hundreds of times. Melinda had sung Skye to sleep with it almost every night and when she was away William did the same. Daisy knew every word but enjoyed the little girl's voice and her little self's attempt to comfort her. She let herself drift away on the song and fell into a deep, restful sleep.

Skye watched Daisy sleep, watched her chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm and wondered for a bit if maybe her adult-self was pretending. Skye really didn't know how to search around inside Daisy's mind like Daisy could do to her. There were a lot of 'things' blocking her from seeing or hearing or knowing or 'minding' into her big person mind. Skye just figured that was something adults could do; block kids out of what they didn't want them to know. Mom and Dad did it to her all the time, so did Yeye and Nainai, well she was one big block. Skye knew nothing about her grandmother and no one seemed to want to share any more than that nothing. It was scary and very intimidating. Nainai always looked so cross, grouchy, jut plain mean and Skye just figured the woman didn't like her, so she didn't like her right back…but mostly she was just terrified of Lian May. Half the time she couldn't even make her voice come out when the woman spoke to her and then ended up in trouble for being disrespectful. Usually that meant getting sent to her room which was just fine with her because that meant she would be far away from grandmother and her scary eyes.

The last thing she remembered about being at home was grandmother telling her to settle down and wait for her parents, that time would pass and they would return. Skye was so excited she couldn't sit still or be quiet. She spoke incessantly in her anticipation of her parent's arrival home and ran to check the weather every ten minutes just to be sure another snow storm wasn't threatening their return. It was after dark when she heard the car in the driveway and if Yeye hadn't caught her she would have been out the door to tackle them both in the driveway. He reminded her that they had been hurt and she would need to be gentle. Nainai scowled at her and again told her to calm down and greet her parents with respect and caution. That in itself was frightening. Nobody told her how her parents had gotten hurt or what they were doing that got them hurt. She thought maybe it was a car accident in all that bad weather but no one would answer her questions. Skye suspected that Daisy knew and tried to get through the blocks into her, what Skye called, dark places but she had no luck.

Just like now, even with Daisy asleep she could not crack through those dark places in her thoughts. Skye shrugged her shoulders and figured it didn't really matter because she was Daisy and Daisy was her and eventually she'd see into those places, eventually she would know everything that Daisy knew. There was no way to keep it from her, because she _was_ her. Admittedly it was a big pain, having to wait, having to have patience because the one thing Skye Coulson was not was patient, but right now she had other plans. Right now she needed to figure out this sleep walking thing and just how to keep Daisy from waking up once she did.

Skye placed her small hand over Daisy's and marveled at the difference, even though it was the same hand. She wondered at the strange buzz she felt, the tingle that seemed to be all over Daisy almost like a kind of throb, but not like the kind you get when you're sick or something hurts. It was calm, almost comforting and at the same time Skye could feel Daisy was a bit scared of it, like she didn't think she could control it. Again, Skye just chalked it up to becoming an adult. She'd had a couple of those weird classes at school where they talk about how your body changes and you have to get used to be different and that it happens to everyone. She didn't think it was sooooo….so bizarre but well, growing up was bizarre so she decided to just ignore it and continue with her own plan. Daisy could deal with the buzzy tingle on her own…for now.

Realizing she couldn't just pick Daisy up and move her like a big doll…she was a lot heavier than Skye figured. Yeah, no fair, Daisy probably just picked her up and moved her around like a puppet when she was sleep walking. Skye had no memory of it and Daisy didn't share much, except to tell her that no she didn't look like a Zombie or walk like Frankenstein.

 _'Well, mostly we're connected with thinking, so maybe I can just think you to do what I want.'_ Skye spoke to her sleeping counterpart. Skye closed her eyes so tightly she began to see sparkles. She grit her teeth and squeezed her hands into tight fists. It was kinda hard to think about anything while squishing yourself so tightly and holding your breath and after a few minutes Skye relaxed and opened one eye. Nothing. Daisy was still curled up and sleeping, she was even snoring a little bit. Skye wondered if she herself snored, she hoped she didn't because she was invited to a sleepover next week and _that_ would be totally embarrassing.

 _'Come on, Daisy, move!'_ Skye mentally shouted at the woman. She let out a frustrated fluttery breath when Daisy didn't cooperate. She stared at Daisy's dark hair and imagined her standing over her and staring down, she imagined her smiling and just what she'd say when she was just as frustrated. _'Damn it!'_ Skye puppy barked but it was Daisy's voice that uttered the expletive.

Skye almost fell off the bed but caught herself and bounced forward a few times before realizing the motion could wake Daisy. She stopped and patted her big-self gently while singing her little song quietly and slowly. When she was sure Daisy was really sleeping she sat back and pulled her own fist down in a victory move. She'd done _something_ right. If only she knew how she did it. Time was wasting and Daisy didn't plan to sleep long. She wanted to get to some kind of cage and fix something she broke before somebody had fits or something like that. Maybe it was somebody named fits that wanted to stop her or who cared anyway, Skye needed to get her plan into action. Daisy could sleep. Heck once she got her out of this ugly bedroom she wouldn't hear the alarm she set on that little bitty laptop thingie she put on the night stand.

Skye leaned close to Daisy's ear, which was really a moot point since she really was talking to her mind, but she whispered, 'damn…damn it!" in a hoarse angry voice. The only thing Daisy did was snore a little louder then sniffle a bit and stop.

 _'Great, I turned off her snorerer.'_ Skye huffed. She crossed her legs in front of her and set her elbow on her knee to rest her head while she drummed her fingers in thought. It took a few seconds before she saw Daisy's fingers drumming the mattress in complete harmony. Skye's eyebrows shot up and she stopped…no froze with her fingers still in position. Daisy's did exactly the same. Think it! Think it, Skye told herself as she smacked a hand to her forehead and Daisy mimicked the action. Skye grimaced and giggled at the same time.

 _'That's it. I got it, Daisy. I know how you did it. You just thought me into action and I can do it to you too.'_ Skye gloated as she once again drummed her fingers and watched Daisy do the same. She knew for a fact that Daisy was not pretending because her back was to Skye and she could not see anything her smaller version was doing.

Skye scratched her head. Daisy did the same. Skye waved bye-bye, so did Daisy. Skye made a nasty finger gesture that Daisy copied with ease. _'Probably get about two hours down time for that if mom caught us,'_ Skye whispered, quickly hiding the offensive hand under the blanket. Daisy pulled her hand under as well.

 _'Okay, fingers and hands are easy. Time to do the harder stuff.'_ Skye told herself as she straightened out both legs and waited for a second before Daisy did the same. Her frown quickly turned to a satisfied smile. 'Now, up, up, up Daisy Head Mayzie²,' Skye raised her hands in front of herself like a magician doing some levitation trick, which failed miserably. Skye turned down one side of her face and chewed her lip. It hit her slowly but when it did she sprang up and sat on the side of the bed. She was about to flop back when Daisy sat up next to her.

 _'You move way too slow, Daisy.'_ Skye complained as she waved her hand in front of Daisy's face and wondered why Daisy didn't do the same. Maybe she was just playing along. Gawd, this was so confusing and annoying and hard and time was wasting and she needed to get her big body moving.

 _'Wait a minute, wait a minute!'_ Skye snapped her fingers and pointed at Daisy. ' _I'm already in your head,'_ she lightly tapped the top of Daisy's head the added, _'and, um, I guess I'm in yours or we just maybe share a head so why not share a body?_ ' Skye stood and stared at how silly Daisy looked sleeping while sitting there on the side of the bed. _'I don't know exactly how to do this, so it might be messy,'_ Skye grimaced as she moved closer and imagined herself inside of Daisy, kinda like wearing a Daisy suit. _'I'm sorry if this hurts, but I don't think it does cuz it didn't hurt me.'_ Skye stopped for a moment, crap…Daisy was a lot bigger than her…what if…what if she didn't fit? It didn't really matter because a moment later Daisy was standing and Skye was in complete control…except it was pitch black until Skye remembered to open Daisy's eyes.

At first it was a little hard to move. Not only was Daisy bigger, she was heavier, harder to maneuver. Skye almost fell twice before she sat back down on the bed and considered balance. She stood again and walked across the room like a toddler taking her first steps. She practiced a few times before she fell into a sort of normal rhythm, well a normal Skye rhythm. She knew Daisy didn't walk the same way she did, but when she tried it looked and felt silly. _'I'm not used to all your lumps and_ _bumps,'_ Skye looked down at her not flat anymore chest and smiled, _'so we're gonna walk my way.'_

A few minutes later Skye was slowly navigating the obstacles in the hallway outside Daisy's bunk. She stopped and stared at the rubble and stacks of boxes in the blackened walkway. She thought for a moment about all that stuff going on in the Middle East that Hussein guy and Osama what's his name and all the talk about fighting and killing and then there was that horrible thing in New York last year and her parents were gone for weeks. She let Daisy's fingers trace a deep crevice in the brick wall.

Maybe before she grew up to be Daisy…maybe in all that time there really was a war and this was how people had to live. Maybe people had to live under the ground like Bruno told all the kids at school his grandfather told him. Maybe someone pushed the button and dropped a big bomb and destroyed everything and this was all there was…maybe her mom and dad were gone, maybe that's why Daisy was so happy when she saw them at their house. Maybe that's why Daisy loved being with them so much. Maybe here, here in Daisy's place, maybe they were gone…killed in some terrible battle.

Skye felt her heart clench and she couldn't stop the tears that streamed over her cheeks. She held on to the wall to keep herself from sliding right down on the sooty floor. She looked at her black toes and thought she should have put shoes on Daisy's feet.

"Hey, Johnson…Johnson!" A woman's voice called from behind. "Johnson!" Skye felt the hand on her shoulder and turned quickly, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Hey, you alright? What're you doing out here…like…like this?" The short-haired woman asked as she shook Daisy a little and Skye froze in an effort to keep her adult-self from being waked.

"I'm okay," Skye looked at the name on the woman's name patch. "P-Piper…I'm okay, really." The woman wore what looked like a soldier's clothes, right down to the boots and she had a holster complete with gun and bullets. Skye wondered again if Daisy was in prison…maybe she was captured by the enemy, but this lady didn't seem like an enemy.

"Yeah, yeah," the Piper lady looked at her funny, "Simmons said you were a little woozy after your mission today. Let me help you back to your room and I'll get her." She started steering Skye back toward Daisy's open door.

"No!" Skye protested remembering that Simmons was the one with all the pokey needles and doctor stuff. She pulled her arm from Piper and stepped back. "I'm okay, just not tired…I mean I couldn't sleep. I think I'm still hungry." She looked over Piper's shoulder and noticed the food tray was gone. She turned and walked a few steps down the hall. Piper put her hands on her hips and watched for a few seconds.

"Hey!" She called and Skye stopped but did not turn around. "The com is this way."

"Yeah, well I'm going to the caf, so I'm going this way." Skye pointed forward.

Piper narrowed her eyes at the back of Daisy's form. She was acting strange, but what the hell everyone was acting strange these days. Piper was tempted to just let the girl do what she wanted, after all when she got to the end of the dead end hallway she'd have to turn around and come back anyway. She could just wait, and then gloat at Daisy's stupidity. Then again, Daisy Johnson was Coulson's pride and joy, his golden girl, if anything happened to her it would be Piper's ass on the line. She dropped her arms to her side and marched after the wayward agent, grabbing her elbow and spinning her in the opposite direction.

"I don't know what your deal is Johnson, but I'm not in the mood. Either get the hell back in your room or head to the common room, but get moving in the right direction." Okay, Piper that's taking your life in your hands, if old Quake here takes it the wrong way you could end up as a bag of crumpled bones. Yeah, that's right Piper, piss off the most powerful inhuman in the base.

Skye pulled her arm away from the woman for a second time and frowned. "Okay, geez, you don't have to be so bossy." She rubbed the spot that Piper had squeezed and moved in the direction she'd been pushed. How was she supposed to know that 'the com' and 'the caf' were the same thing. She continued moving down the hall and stopped at the intersection then looked both ways. It was pretty dark no mater which she chose. She looked back over her shoulder at Piper who was standing with her hands on her hips. The soldier woman shook her head and pointed to the left. Skye pointed that way as well and Piper gave a quick nod before rolling her eyes. Skye turned that way and proceeded around the additional debris in the hallway.

Piper shook her head and waited a few minutes. "Damn fool, acting like a ten year old traipsing around in her pajamas like…" she let out a frustrated breath and waved the girl off. She'd wake Agent May but didn't need her head handed to her for reporting that one of the team was out for a midnight snack.

Skye wandered down the hall heading for the tiny light in the distance. There wasn't a lot to see and that ugly smoke smell was worse outside Daisy's room. Apparently everyone, except that grouchy Piper person was sleeping which seemed kinda weird if this was a soldier place. Wouldn't they need more than one guard? So far there was the doctor lady and the soldier lady and Daisy in this place. Wow, maybe whatever happened left only women…geez what if all the men were gone. It was like some crazy 'monsters eating the world movie' that Sci Fi put out every weekend. Skye stopped for a moment and snapped her…er, Daisy's…fingers.

 _'Maybe Daisy's some famous actress making one of those blockbuster superhero movies! That's probably why she had to change her name! Maybe this is all in the movie and that's why everything is so icky.'_ Skye told herself and liked that explanation a lot better. "OUCH! DAMN IT!" She yelped out loud after stubbing three toes on some hard something in the middle of the hallway. She brought the digit up to her hand and massaged it as she hopped on the opposite foot. For a moment she felt Daisy stir and froze mid-hop standing like an injured flamingo in the dark walkway. She waited for what seemed like twenty minutes when it was really only a few seconds before slowly placing her foot on the floor and limping slowly the last ten feet to the softly lit room a few feet away.

Skye stepped inside the large, pretty clean and best looking room she'd found so far. It was like a giant parlor and a kitchen and some kind of game room all in one. It still smelled funny but it was a different kind of smell. There was a couch and a table with a lot of mismatched chairs, a stove, a lot of cupboards, a sink and a refrigerator. Skye smiled and headed toward the latter. She pulled open the door and looked at the collection of foods inside. Somebody ate a lot of fast food because there were those little containers you get in Chinese take out places and a couple of those square Styrofoam take-away boxes. There were a few containers of yogurt. Skye made a yuck face. There was milk, okay milk she liked milk. Skye took the gallon container and set it on the table then opened the first cabinet in search of a glass. Eureka! She pulled out a box of her favorite cereal, the kind with all the marshmallow shapes and the leprechaun on the box. Her search now was for a bowl and a spoon which she quickly found. A few seconds later she was wolfing down the cereal Mom rarely let her enjoy.

Skye pulled out a chair and propped her injured foot on it, examining her dirty toes. There were a few drops of blood but it didn't look too bad, by morning it would be forgotten…she hoped because Daisy did not need to know about her adventure. She decided she would finish her snack and head back to the bedroom. This place was too dirty and too dark to do any good exploring anyway. She rested her head on her hand and chewed thoughtfully. What she really wanted was to go home. She heard voices…two people were talking quietly and coming this way. She stopped chewing and listened…the voices sounded familiar but weren't clear enough to make out just yet. She stood and moved closer to the door, swallowing the mouthful of cereal and wiping her mouth with Daisy's sleeve. She couldn't see anything in the dark hall, but those voices, speaking so very softly were definitely getting closer and something inside of her needed to see whoever it was. She moved closer to the door so intent on seeing who it was she did not notice Daisy slowly regaining her conscious self and coming fully awake.

"What the hell?" Daisy exclaimed looking around and realizing she was standing in the common room. She could hear Coulson and May speaking softly as they approached the corner at the end of the hall. She spun on her heels, ignoring the pain in her toes and hurried herself out the door on the opposite side of the room, ducking down the hallway toward the bunker rooms.

In her mind she grabbed Skye by the shoulders and shook her hard. "What the hell is wrong with you kid? Sneaking around this place by yourself? Do you realize what could have happened?" She turned the girl sideways and landed a hard smack on her backside, immediately regretting it as the sting almost brought tears to her eyes.

 _'Hey!'_ Skye protested then laughed. _'That'll teach ya, won't it!'_ Skye stepped back and watched Daisy rub the sting of her own anger off her own backside. _'You smacked yourself!'_ Skye was almost doubled over in laughter.

Daisy blew out a disgusted breath and marched down the hall refusing to acknowledge the hysterical kid in her mind. She wasn't sure what Skye had seen or who she had run into, but she had to put an end to this now. She considered waking Fitz and getting his help, but she couldn't do that without waking Simmons too. They were still working on their relationship, but they were together every night and she did not need nor want to see what that meant. Geez, what if she knocked and they had bunk beds in there? That would be worse than catching them in the…she stopped her thoughts before Skye learned a little too much. That meant she had to do this herself and she had to do it now, before too much time passed. She had to get Skye back where she belonged. Daisy turned away from the bunk hallway and headed for the stairs that led to the Cage.

 _'Are we going home?'_ Skye's voice cut through Daisy's determination, suddenly sounding small and scared. _'I don't like this place, Daisy. What happened to mom and dad? Did they die in this war?'_

Daisy stopped at the door and took a breath. "No, Skye. I promise you they are fine. They're both fine, really. And they're both fine at home…at your home. I need to take you back there. You don't belong here." She pulled the handle on the door and stepped inside, pulling it closed behind her.

The lights came on revealing the numerous computer screens and monitors in the room. Daisy sat at the first keyboard and tapped it awake. The screen opened black with one tiny yellow cursor blinking in the center.

 _'That doesn't look good.'_ Skye sighed.

Daisy ignored the comment. The system wasn't asking but she knew it required a password and she had only one chance before it locked itself down and sent out an alarm that would bring everyone fully awake and down on her. She thought for a moment then smiled. "Oh, Fitz you are way too transparent, you sweet little bundle of Fitzie-ism." Daisy started to tap in a few letters then stopped, backspaced and started again.

'S-N-O-M-M-I-S'

Crossing her fingers and looking to heaven, Daisy hit the enter key. For a moment everything blinked off and she cringed in anticipation of the claxon that would sound her invasion of the Fitzwork, but the monitor flickered twice then came to life displaying the strings of code that were Fitz's latest creation. Daisy smiled as she stood and raced from station to station to assure that all systems were working. She moved to the middle gurney to check every hook-up there then raced back to the main screen to find the exact point at which she had come out of hours earlier. She flicked a few switches and a soft hum filled the room.

Skye had been silently watching in between taking it all the bizarre equipment in the all white room. _'I thought you were taking me home, not playing some computer game.'_ She pouted then yawned.

"You are going home, kid." Daisy answered as she made one last check then sat on her mattress and pulled the headgear into her lap, checking all the leads one last time. "I'm just making sure I can get back to mine." She slipped her arm through the blood pressure cuff and said a silent prayer that Fitz would come to check his equipment first thing in the morning. "Ready?" She smiled at Skye, knowing she was going to pay dearly for this stupid move and hoping it wasn't the last time she'd see her little-self.

Skye nodded as she watched Daisy slip the strange helmet over her head and lay back on the mattress. She couldn't imagine how this was going to take her home but as Daisy's eyes slowly closed, Skye drifted away with her.

¹Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury, 1997

²Daisy Head Mazie, Dr. Seuss, Random House, 1994


	15. Chapter 15 - What a Tangled Web

**Chapter 15**

 **What a Tangled Web**

Coulson and May stepped into the Common Room mid-conversation. It was three in the morning but neither could sleep and figured they'd use the time to go through reports on the repairs and clean-up of the base. May wondered if it was worth repairing the place. There had to be other bases. Fury certainly had them all over the country, hell all over the world and what he didn't have Carter and Stark probably had before him. Coulson for some reason insisted on getting the Playground back to its old self. Perhaps it was the nostalgia factor, after all it was one of the first bases Peggy Carter had created after the war. Perhaps it was all the memories it held for their team, for them, for what had become their family. Mostly it was they'd lost almost everything and Coulson would be damned if they lost this as well.

So the disagreement continued. It wasn't really an argument because deep down, May was pretty comfortable with the base too and felt more than guilty about having been the one to destroy it, even though it was Robo-May and not Real-May. She had no memory of what happened here but Daisy and Jemma had filled her in on their conversation between the fire doors, about how she had taken out the bay to save them…to save her girls. She thought about that a lot when she lay in bed not sleeping, when she lay thinking about her Framework life and how she had almost killed the people she loved. She was ready to let Hydra torture and kill Daisy…her child…kill her and just walk away. May hated that part of herself even more than the Child Murderer of Bahrain. The Framework had shown her one alternative to what could have happened had she not taken out that gifted all those years ago. It had turned her into a frigid evil thing not even worthy of being referred to as a person. She knew it wasn't real. She knew it was all something that damn bitch AIDA and her warped processor created, but it still ate at her every minute she could not press it into one of those little boxes that compartmentalized everything in her mind.

Saving Daisy and Jemma was the only thing that kept her sane. Knowing the feelings she had for those girls overrode every ounce of that creatures desires actually brought warmth to her otherwise frozen soul.

That and the overwhelming need to tell Phillip Coulson how she really felt about him.

"I think we should have the lab up to eighty percent efficiency by the end of the month," Phil was saying as she noticed the mess on the table.

A bowl with a few pieces of soggy cereal floating in pinkish colored milk, the spoon dripping on the table…a gallon milk jug left out of the fridge, top off and nowhere to be seen…an overturned box of that sugary charm cereal…

"Daisy," May growled through clenched teeth.

Coulson picked up the small red cap from the floor, twisted it on the gallon and headed for the refrigerator. "She's not the only one that likes a little sugar at midnight, May." He smiled as he put the gallon on the shelf, closed the door and turned back to the table.

"No," May agreed as she carried the bowl to the sink and squeezed the water out of a dishrag. "But, she is the only one that leaves a mess for someone else to clean. I don't know how many times…"

"You sound like a mother." Phil chuckled as May slapped the rag on the table and scrubbed off the milky stains.

"Don't think I'm not going to say something to her," May pointed a finger at him before tossing the rag into the sink and turning on the water to wash the bowl and spoon. "Probably have to dump that whole gallon and it was just opened."

"Naw," Coulson shook his head as he pushed the cereal into the upper cabinet. "It was still cold. She must have just left."

The dimming of the light and odd hollow bump that filtered through the room stopped May from responding. Both agents froze for a moment and scanned the room before turning toward each other and repeating the action.

"What the _hell_ was that?" May demanded, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing good," Coulson shook his head. "Never is."

They stood still and silent waiting for whatever would come next, but all remained status quo. Again they looked into each other's eyes asking a hundred wordless questions.

Coulson finally shrugged his shoulders. "Power serge, maybe?"

"At three a.m.?" May sneered. "What the hell would cause that much of a pow…"

"The Fitzwork!" They exclaimed simultaneously.

"Who'd be down there now?" Coulson posed.

May looked at the dishrag she still held in her hand then back at the strainer where the clean cereal bowl drip dried.

"Damn it!" She snarled as she threw the rag to the sink before turning and heading toward the Cage.

Coulson watched her for a second before he followed her train of thought and two before he hurried to catch up.

xx

Skye rolled onto her back and stretched mightily before opening her eyes. She stared at the ceiling for a moment before rubbing both eyes and smacking her lips twice. She turned her head and looked at the large daisy plaques on the opposite wall before springing up to a sitting position. She kicked off the blankets and bounced to the floor. Running quietly in place with clenched fists she spun in a circle and whispered, "YES!"

She hurried quietly to the window and almost squealed with glee at the softly falling snow. It must have fallen for some time because the previously cleaned walks and driveway were covered with more than just a dusting. Skye spun around again and happily threw herself on the bed. It was Christmas morning. She'd made it back in one night, jus like that three ghost story thing daddy liked to tell.

Daisy put a hand on her stomach and squeezed her eyes shut. _'Take it easy, kid.'_

"Daisy? Daisy, you're here! Oh, Daisy I had the weirdest dream. There was this big war and everybody was gone except a couple people and you and me were stuck in this stinky place with all this junk and…"

Skye pulled on a robe and dropped to the floor searching under the bed for her slippers, grabbed the one she could see and spun back on her butt to yank it onto her foot.

"It's awful quiet. Everyone must be sleeping, still…maybe it's too early." She sprang to her knees and grabbed her small alarm clock. "Almost seven, nope, that's late for mom. She never sleeps past five, EVER." She bounced to her feet, hurried to the closet and pulled open the double doors before dropping back to her knees and digging through the debris on the floor in search of the elusive slipper.

Daisy rubbed her head and tried to shake off the feeling of sea-sickness. All that sugary cereal added to this wild bouncing, running, dropping, running, bouncing…was making her feel the need to race to the nearest bathroom or at least the nearest wastebasket. She wondered why Skye did not feel the nausea like she did. She wondered only for a moment before one word struck her sober. Dream, the kid thought it was all a dream. Talk about a break…oh yeah, this was a _once_ in a lifetime break.

 _'Dream…yeah, that sounds like a wild dream.'_ Daisy agreed.

"It's Christmas, Daisy!" Skye's voice betrayed any attempt on her part to hide her excitement as she continued to search for her other slipper. "Ah, who needs 'em, anyway?" She pulled off the one she had and flung it across the floor. Practically, skipping to the door she put a hand on the knob and pulled it open then turned back to Daisy who still sat at the edge of the bed. "Come on!" She waved a hand. "It's the best day of the year! Don't you wanna see all the excitement?"

Daisy sat for a moment and thought about all her Christmases. She'd never really thought about it before but she suddenly realized she had never, ever been in a foster home on Christmas morning. She'd never woken up excited and bouncy, not able to wait to rush down the stairs to find what treasures lay under a beautifully decorated tree. Christmas was always the same at St. Agnes. There was always a tree, a little one decorated with paper ornaments the kids made during the long dark winter evenings. Nothing got saved because there really was no one who cared enough to save them so every year they were different. Daisy stopped making them when she was about eight.

Everyone got new socks and underwear wrapped in plain paper and tied with colored string. Sometimes it was even the right size but eventually it all went into the general pile of that kind of garment, everybody just shared. Of course that meant sharing laundry duties, too. There were a few toys donated by well meaning citizens and the sisters did their best to be sure every child got some kind of trinket. Nobody ever got their Christmas wish so nobody ever really wished for anything. Daisy would just open the package someone put in her lap, smile and then leave it for which ever child found it interesting. It didn't take her long to figure out the scheme. All the boys received gifts wrapped and tied with green decorations while the girls got red. Inevitably someone would always mess up and a gift would be miss-colored. Daisy figured she was just lucky enough to always get that particular gift. She got a bag of those little green plastic soldiers one year and another she opened a Nerf™ rifle, which would have been great but the nuns confiscated it quickly and replaced it with a book about the lives of the saints. After the meager gift giving and opening everybody got trouped off to Mass and then back to the orphanage for a Christmas dinner, also donated by local businesses and prepared by the sisters. Then it was over. Everything went back to the day to day routine of St. Agnes.

Skye stared at her big-self and felt the sadness radiating from her. "Oh, Daisy…" she ran back and sat on the bed wrapping an arm around Daisy's shoulder. "Don't be sad, it's better this time, really, you'll see."

Daisy gave her little-self a small smile. It wasn't the gifts or the tree that she needed to make Christmas. That was just superficial stuff. Daisy knew that. She pictured a living room piled with boxes of all sizes and every wish Skye had ever made during the year waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. Mostly she pictured the faces of the two people that meant the most to her beaming at her kid-self as she bounded into their arms. Daisy wanted to feel jealous but she couldn't because she knew when Skye fell into their parents embrace she would be right there with her. It would be the Christmas morning Daisy had dreamed of…wished for…prayed for as long as she could remember. But it would only be this once, just to have that memory…but it wouldn't even be a real memory and it would never really happen. Life…fate…destiny had taken that chance away and the way things were going…well, even if they made it to Christmas it wouldn't be holly jolly, let alone very merry.

Daisy wondered if maybe this memory thing…this framework thing wasn't such a good idea after all. Building these fake memories might be more depressing than fulfilling. She was starting to regret all the things she never really had, things she'd put behind her a very long time ago and promised herself never to look back on or pity herself for not having. This computer thing was stirring up those old feelings instead of creating new ones…fake ones. Then she looked up at Skye and saw that smile, that smile she'd somehow lost all those years ago. She recognized that sparkle in her own eye, that mischief that dwelled just below the surface and she remembered the hope she carried in her heart then. She saw that hope that still lived in this small version of the Skye who was wanted and loved, no cherished by the parents who were meant to raise her. She realized the love that she'd stored up in her little kid heart, saving it for the people who might take her as their own or the family that would come back to find her. That hope, that love had been set free by this little Skye and it bounced right back from Phil Coulson and Melinda May…it bounced back in triplicate. This Skye, _this_ little girl never cried herself to sleep because the ache of loneliness became too much to bare. This child never made herself stop wanting something because it was easier than knowing she'd never have it. This version of her was full of love and excitement and couldn't wait to bounce down those stairs into Christmas morning.

Daisy smiled and put an arm around Skye's much smaller, yet much stronger shoulders. _'Ya know, kid. I think I could really use a Christmas morning.'_ She pulled her little self into a one armed hug and felt that strange warmth come over her again. It built a kind of strength that went both ways. _'Race ya!'_ Daisy whispered in Skye's ear as she jumped to her feet and made for the door.

Both girls froze at the silhouette blocking the doorway to the hall.

"Granddaughter," Lian's stern voice startled Skye to attention and pushed Daisy back a few steps.

Skye stood and dropped her eyes to the floor. Daisy could not help doing the same. "Yes, grandmother," both answered remembering to keep their voice quiet and respectful (whatever that meant).

Lian stepped into the room and closed the door. "Why is it that you are making such noise, so early in the morning? You know your parents are resting."

"I'm sorry, grandmother." Skye answered simply, without denying or defending her actions. Daisy felt her anger grow, but kept her tongue for her little self's sake.

The woman opened the door and held out a hand directing the little girl out. "Come, quietly, your grandfather is preparing breakfast."

"Yes, grandmother," Skye's exuberance had been totally crushed. She actually dragged her feet as she moved toward the door. A few moments ago the little girl was full of holiday glee, now she seemed to be in mourning. She kept her eyes to the floor and her hands folded in front of her.

Daisy felt her blood boil and a soft tremble go through her body. She feared the soft quake would rock this world but felt no telltale tremor under her feet.

"Where are your shoes, child?" Lian tsked.

Skye shrugged her shoulders, immediately knowing that was disrespectful. "I can't find them." She whispered.

"Perhaps if you took better care you would see it not so difficult to locate things that are necessary." Lian scolded then let out a frustrated breath. "I guess we will have to do without." She stepped back and again motioned for Skye to exit the room.

Daisy was tempted to kick the woman in the shin as she passed but figured Skye was miserable enough now, on the best day of the year. In one breath this dragon-lady had stolen Christmas faster and more efficiently than that weird green Dr. Seuss character.

xx

May pushed open the door to the Cage and rushed inside a few seconds before Coulson. She had hoped to be wrong but somehow knew exactly what she would find. The woman bit back the urge to put her fist through the first screen she approached. She clenched her fists tightly at her side as Coulson quickly stepped to her side. He scanned the various instruments that were blinking and flickering in their processing of Fitz's program.

Only one monitor glowed with vital statistics under the soft green glow of 'JOHNSON, DAISY'. Everything looked normal to him. Well, at least nothing was blinking bright red warning signals and although the room was full of computer sounds, none of them sounded ominous. Coulson knew Daisy was more than adept at running this program. She'd shown those skills when she and Simmons managed to rescue all of them from that damn AIDA nightmare.

May moved to stand next to Daisy who seemed to be in a peaceful sleep, despite the uncomfortable looking gear that encompassed her head. She looked up at the screen to see the girl's blood pressure rate was within normal parameters but all other vitals were nothing more than dotted lines. Apparently, Daisy neither wanted nor was able to attach all of the other monitoring leads before she plunged herself into this damn program. May once again fought the urge to throttle her protégé. Coulson could see his partner's jaw tighten and practically read her thoughts. He too was infuriated over Daisy's actions, yet felt the girl must have had good reason to do something so very stupid.

Letting out a long furious breath, then taking in one that she hoped to use to calm herself, May spoke to the girl who certainly could not hear her. "Right now, I wish you _were_ ten years old, because I pull you off that table and xī nǐ de pìgu!"

"May!" Coulson knew very little Mandarin but enough to understand his partner's threat. "You can't just pull her out, you know that. We need to get FitzSimmons."

"When she is out I plan on kicking her ass all over this base and then back." May spoke through clenched teeth without turning toward Coulson.

He stared at her for a moment, considering whether it was safe to leave her alone with their daughter. "I'll have to go to their bunk, the coms are sketchy at most during the day. I don't even know if they work now."

"Go," May nodded toward him. "I promise not to kill her before you get back."

Coulson smiled at May's jest, took a few steps then shook his head. She didn't really mean _'kill'_ in the sense of _killing_ …did she? He decided he'd try the com to Fitz's bunk as he hurried to get there.

Coulson raised his hand to knock on the door of the bunk shared by the two scientists a second before it opened. Fitz and Simmons almost fell over the man as they rushed into the hallway, fully dressed and ready for whatever. Part of Coulson's transmission had made it through the still 'not so fixed' communications system. Fitz knew something was not right. He shook Simmons awake and they sprang into action. All Fitz was able to get from the staccato message was something about the Cage and Daisy. That could not mean anything good and he already suspected what could be happening. One look at Coulson's expression as he stepped aside to avoid a head on collision told him his suspicions were correct.

"How long has she been under?" Fitz asked as he hurried in the direction of the Cage with Simmons a step behind and Coulson at his side.

Coulson did not stop to ask how the younger man knew. "Not long, probably twenty minutes, no more than half an hour at the most."

Fitz merely nodded and stepped faster, leaving Simmons and Coulson to follow. "Why would she do such a thing?" Simmons wondered out loud. Coulson failed to answer as they hurried to catch up to Fitz before he had to face an incensed May on his own.

Upon entering the Cage, Fitz went immediately to his consoles checking and rechecking every string of code and quickly locating Daisy's presence within the program. Simmons rushed to the monitor, pushing May aside and just as quickly beginning the process of attaching the necessary leads to keep track of Daisy's vitals. One by one the lights on the monitor lit up, each remaining a calm blip on the screen. Simmons let out a soft breath as she noted all signs were within normal range. She nodded to Fitz who let out a relieved breath of his own.

"She's fine. Well, she's fine for the moment, but the system isn't set up to be used so soon after I've powered it down. I'm not really sure what might or might not happen." He looked at the concerned faces waiting for him to reassure them that Daisy was fine and he could just bring her back. "It's set…I know we discussed this…it's set for six hours once the program starts running. From what I see, Daisy didn't make any changes, just let herself in. We can just monitor her for the time or I can send you in after her." He stood and waited for an answer.

Jemma spoke before the others, stopping them from giving the affirmative nod she knew they would. May already had her headgear in her hand and Coulson was seated on his usual gurney. "Fitz, we don't even know if it's safe. We can't just send them in there." She spoke in a voice she hoped was not too pleading.

"We're not just leaving her." Coulson shook his head as he laid back.

"Now, Fitz," May ordered as she followed suit.

Fitz raised his brows and shrugged his shoulders before turning to be sure the strings of code for Coulson and May were intact and had not been damaged by whatever the hell Daisy was doing. It appeared she'd gone back into the program at a point not much past the point she had exited the day before.

Simmons reluctantly attached the leads to her superiors and helped them to relax. "You can't go in there all upset. It won't be good for any of you. Remember, Daisy is only a child there and won't understand why her parents are so angry with her. She'll have no memory of what she's done."

"Simmons is right." Fitz agreed, making final adjustments and picking up the tablet he used to control his program as he stepped closer to May and Coulson. He stared at Daisy's peaceful form for a moment before continuing. "When you see her, she'll be just a small girl. From the reception she gave when you came out of the program yesterday, something dire must have occurred. None of us had time to debrief, so if you have any memory of what that incident was," he eyed Coulson who gave a curt nod. "You'll need to keep that in mind before you go all 'Mom and Dad' on her."

"Patience and understanding, Agent May," Simmons patted the older woman's shoulder.

May narrowed her eyes. The last thing she planned to give her wayward child was patience and understanding. Although Simmons was right, Daisy would be Skye in the program and if memory served it was the holiday season. She and Coulson had just returned from that debacle in Chechnya. Skye would be confused enough…but Daisy…oh, Daisy would be there too and Daisy would understand perfectly. May relaxed and gave the young scientist a quick nod before donning the headgear and waiting for the sleep of the Fitzwork to deliver her to her child's world.

xx

"I'm not very hungry," Skye mumbled from where she stood, just a few feet from her grandmother's reach. "I don't really want any breakfast."

"Do not speak nonsense, granddaughter. Your grandfather has already prepared what he says is your favorite. You cannot show disrespect by refusing to take what he has offered." Lian scolded. Well, maybe she wasn't scolding but it always seemed like she was. The older woman stood at the top of the stairs and waited for Skye who remained planted in the hallway.

Skye tried to remember greeting her parents. She tried to remember their arrival last night, but all she could see in her mind's eye was putting her hand on the doorknob. She didn't even remember opening it. That was odd, because it was something she wanted so badly that it should be right there in her head playing like a movie with a rewind button, just looping over and over. The little girl kept her head down and watched her own chest rise and fall with each breath. She didn't want breakfast. She didn't want to sit quietly at the table with her glaring grandmother. She didn't want to see her grandfather all quiet and reserved instead of singing and teasing her about silly things like shoveling snow before opening presents. She didn't want to see her parents' chairs empty and she did not want Christmas…not without her mom and her dad.

"I'm sorry, grandmother. I don't want any breakfast." She stepped backward into her room and closed the door. She stood against it for a few seconds, hoping to hold it closed should grandmother try to come back for her. She listened and heard nothing then ran across the room and flung herself on the bed in tears, pulling Ling-a-ling into a tight hug.

x

Melinda opened her eyes to the throbbing pain in her left side. That was one memory she really didn't need. It wasn't as bad as it had been but wading through that stagnant water had done nothing for the wound and the infection spread like wildfire. Luckily a massive dose of strong antibiotics at the SHEILD medical base had stopped the spread and with the meds the doctors had made her promise to take _IF_ they released her, she was definitely on the mend. She unconsciously rubbed her shoulder where there was no wound, just the memory of what had happened the first time, in the real world.

She found herself seated on the side of her bed with one arm through her robe. Standing she pulled the garment over her shoulder and pushed the other arm into it then tied it in front. She turned to see Phil snoring softly on the opposite side of the mattress. Reaching out she grabbed his foot and gave it a firm shake.

"Hey, Phil, come on…it's Christmas morning. We've got a very excited little girl waiting for us."

She knew he was beyond exhausted. It had been a sixteen hour flight to make it home before midnight and even with William's help it had taken almost two hours to get all of Skye's presents from the places they'd hidden them and into the living room before they climbed into their own bed for the first time in almost two weeks. Hell, it was the first time they actually slept in a bed and not on the floor or in the back of a van or the crummy rock bottom of an acrid cave.

"I'm awake." Phil grumbled without opening his eyes.

"You need to get _up_ , Phillip." May sighed as she began slowly pulling the blankets away from him.

"Just bring her in here. I promise to 'ooo' and 'aaa' in all the right places." He moaned as he held the covers with one hand and attempted to raise the other arm over his eyes. The pain of the wound in his shoulder reminded him of his recent escapade and brought him fully awake. 'Yeah, that gives a whole new meaning to wakin' ya up in the morning."

"Baby," Melinda teased as she rubbed her side.

Phil pulled himself up and stood, quickly made a trip to the bathroom and returned. Melinda smiled at the disheveled Phil that no one else ever got to see. He stood there in his white sleeveless T-shirt and light blue boxers, his eyes were still puffy with sleep and the stubble that never really would turn into a real beard covered his face. His fine hair stuck up in little peaks and odd angles reminding her of a baby orangutan she'd once seen. It was her favorite time of day, when Phil was just _her_ Phil. She could not help putting her arms around him as he passed. The action woke up the pain in her side but she pushed it away and laid her head on his chest just to feel him that close to her.

Melinda May hated doing this…not holding and loving her Phil…but not able to tell him…keeping a secret from him and from everyone else. She knew exactly what she was doing. She remembered every second of it when they returned to the world they referred to as real. Phil could never know that she was in total control of herself in this reality and that she also let go of every inhibition she had once she touched down here. Here she loved Phil Coulson with every bit of her being and she would give herself to him a thousand times over…but he couldn't know that. She couldn't let the real Coulson know how much she loved and needed him. This world would not last forever. Skye was growing up very quickly and soon all they'd have would be the memories of the life they could have but never did live. Would it be enough? Would it give all of them the closure they sought?

Melinda was the most logical of the three and although she might want those things, she knew they could not be. She would play along for the man and the child she loved, but they could never know how much she would miss this silly computer game they were playing.

Phil wrapped his arms gently around Melinda, careful not aggravate her injury and not really caring about his own. For this moment in time she was the closest thing he had to reality. Nothing else really mattered and the throbbing pain in his head snapped like a too taunt rubber band. He imagined the sound it made. Holding Melinda this close always had that effect on his massive migraine and he wished he could use its relief every time the pain became too much to handle. He almost laughed imagining the look on May's face if he pulled her into this embrace while they walked the corridors of the base or went over mission logs in his office. She'd probably shot-put him across the room. He could not stifle the soft chuckle that rumbled through his chest.

"Something funny?" Melinda sighed without taking her head from where it rested.

"Nope," He smiled as he placed a soft kiss on the top of her, "just enjoying the moment." She snuggled into him tighter.

Phil rested his chin on Melinda's head and stared at their bed knowing neither of them was strong enough for that besides there was a very excited little girl waiting for them and they couldn't disappoint her. "I hate to break up this party," he sighed as he kissed her again, "but Skye is not patient and I am surprised she hasn't already broken down the door."

Melinda laughed softly as she patted his chest and reached up to plant a light kiss on his lips. "You get dressed. I'll see if I can't contain our fireball for a few minutes."

x

Pulling the door closed Melinda turned and walked slowly down the hall to her daughter's room. She reached for the knob just as a hand closed over hers. Melinda turned then stepped back in semi-shock.

"Mother?" Her brows rose in surprise. Fitz had pulled them out before they entered the house last night. She had no idea her mother was there.

"Melinda, why are you not resting? You are in no condition to be up at this hour." Lian frowned at her daughter.

Blinking rapidly, Melinda hesitated, trying to form a response. "Mother, what are you doing here?" That was not the one she wanted.

"Where else would I be, daughter? I received word that you were in Russia and more than likely in a compromised position. Is it not my place to be with my granddaughter?" Lian responded somewhat insulted by her daughter's question.

"Fury," Melinda spoke through clenched teeth.

"I have many contacts within the agencies, Melinda. I do not need that one-eyed tyrant to keep me informed of my daughter's affairs. This was a disaster from the start. I cannot believe you would be as senseless as to take on such a mission." Lian ranted quietly.

"I did what needed to be done. That's my job, mother." Melinda hissed back. It was pointless to try to avoid an argument at this or any point when it came to Lian May.

"This is not a job for a woman with a small child." Lian sneered.

"Oh, really…really?" Melinda smiled. "Isn't that a little bit of the pot calling the kettle black?"

"It is not the same, daughter. You had your father with you, to care for you and be there should the worst happen. Zhen Ju would never be alone but you and Phillip have seen to it that my granddaughter will surely be an orphan."

"Her _name_ is Skye, mother. And this is neither the time nor the place to have this argument…again." Melinda whispered through clenched teeth.

Lian stood back remaining calm and glaring at her daughter. "I am not arguing Melinda. I am stating the truth you still refuse to see." She simply stared at her only child for a moment before continuing. "Your father has prepared breakfast. I shall tell him you will be joining us. Perhaps you can convince your equally stubborn child to do the same."

Melinda closed her eyes and counted and counted and counted as high as she could, screaming inside her mind as Lian slowly moved around her and walked just as slowly down the stairs. Melinda tapped her forehead lightly on the wall, repeating a mantra her father had taught her so long ago. It helped her to keep her calm.

' _Dāng dírén yuǎn de shíhòu, lóng bù huì shǐyòng huǒyàn'._ The dragon holds its flame until the enemy is near.

Taking one last deep breath, Melinda pulled her calm back into place and turned the knob then quietly entered Skye's room. The little girl was still sobbing into her stuffed puppy and did not acknowledge her mother's entrance. Melinda moved slowly toward the bed.

"I told you I'm not hungry, grandmother. I don't want any breakfast." She mumbled into the mattress between sobs.

Melinda sat on the edge of the bed next to her daughter and rubbed her hand on the girl's back. "I don't blame you, baobao. I feel the same way." She spoke softly, shushing the child's tears.

"Mommy!" Skye pushed up and wrapped her arms around her mother finally reuniting with the one she had missed so dearly. "Mommy," she repeated into her mother's breast, using the term she had use when she was younger and not caring one bit that she was acting more five than ten. "Oh, mommy I missed you so much."

Melinda flinched at the girl's tight embrace but squeezed back just as hard as the tear streaked little face peered up at her. "I missed you too, tiánměi de nǚ yīng." She kissed the little girl's nose. "Why all the tears, baobao?"

"I just needed you. I needed you and…and…" Skye did not want to blame her grandmother for her tears, even if it were the truth. It didn't even matter anymore because mom was here…right here, next to her, holding her and telling it everything was okay.

"Yeye, said you were hurt!" Skye sat back quickly. "Did I hurt you? I'm sorry." She looked at her mother, seeing something was wrong but not noticing any visible bumps or bruises. Melinda just looked like 'mom in the morning'.

Melinda pulled her back into her embrace. "Just a bump, baby, I'm fine."

Skye pushed away again. "Daddy? Where's daddy? Is he okay? Is…is he hurt?" She started to stand, but Melinda pulled her back and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Daddy is getting dressed and he is just as fine as I am." Melinda didn't lie. Phil was probably in just as much pain and just as thrilled to be home. "We never expected to find our 'crazy for Christmas' girl crying on her favorite day of the year." She tapped the end of Skye's nose as the girl used her sleeve to wipe her eyes. Melinda stopped her before she did the same with her nose and handed her a Kleenex.

After blowing twice, Skye stuffed the balled up tissue into her pocket and smiled a puffy-eyed smile at her mother. "I'm sorry." She sighed. "I didn't want to go downstairs and not see you there. Nainai said you were resting and I wasn't to disturb you at all."

Melinda pursed her lips to avoid saying what she really wanted to say then managed a smile. "Sometimes your grandmother assumes a bit too much."

"Knock, knock," Phil announced before stepping into the room.

"Daddy!" Skye stopped herself inches before she plowed into her father. She stared up at him and he down at her a second before he put out his arms and she fell into them. He lifted her into his embrace and kissed her a dozen times before he spoke. "Merry Christmas, sweet potato!"

The little girl buried her face in her father's neck and wrapped herself around him, feeling the large bandage on his right shoulder. "I'm a pickle, not a potato, daddy." She giggled through her happy tears. She pulled her head up and looked at him, nose to nose. "Put me down, daddy. I'm too big and I'm hurting you."

Phil raised his brows and widened his eyes. "You are not hurting me and you will never be too big, angel eyes." He kissed her again, over and over, until she once again hid her face in his neck. He laid his cheek again her soft hair and breathed out a sigh of relief knowing how close he and Melinda had come to never seeing their little girl again.

"Oh, wow…" Phil exclaimed as he bent slightly and looked out the window across the room. Melinda followed his gaze, scrunching her face in confusing.

Skye picked up her head and looked as well. "What? What do you see?" She narrowed her eyes, squinting to see through the sheer curtains.

"It's daylight!" Phil exclaimed as he lowered Skye to the floor and slapped his hand against his forehead.

Melinda and Skye exchanged glances. Melinda shook her head as Skye shrugged her shoulders.

"Daylight," Phil sighed. "I cannot believe it…daylight." He let out a long breath and shook his head slowly. "I cannot believe we are still dragging our feet and it's daylight…on Christmas morning!"

"Da – dee!" Skye laughed as Melinda stood and smiled.

"Ya know I think I heard the sounds of eight tiny reindeer just before the sun came up…we must have been the last stop this year…good thing we slept in." Phil pursed his lips and nodded at his girls. He rubbed his hands together and wriggled his brows. "What say we go see what he left?" He spun on his heel and started toward the door.

"Yeye made breakfast." Skye informed him.

Phil stopped and rubbed his tummy. "It can wait until after presents." He smiled his goofy smile.

"Nainai says we have to eat first." Skye sighed.

Phil spun back to see Melinda turn up one side of her mouth and nod, affirming Skye's statement. "Your mother's…" He pointed down and Melinda nodded again. The look on his face turned from jest to panic.

"It's okay, daddy," Skye sighed as she took his hand and started toward the door. "She scares me, too."

Daisy had stood back and watched the family reunite. She brushed away her own tears and watched as Coulson and her kid-self left the room. May had stayed behind, which was odd. She really thought that the woman would have followed her family down the stairs but she seemed to be waiting for something. Daisy walked to the door and watched as Skye and Coulson disappeared then turned back to find May staring right at her. She looked down at herself, patted her body and just for the heck of it tried to bump the door only to put her hand right through it. Yep, she was still just a thought, albeit she could not explain how she was here and Skye had gone with her father.

May turned as if she were scanning the room, looking for something Daisy could not see. "Daisy!" the woman called causing the girl to jump. "I don't know if you're here but if you are you better be listening."

 _'Okay, that does not sound good…'_ Daisy spoke to herself.

"I don't know what kind of a stupid-ass stunt you're playing but you better have a damn good explanation." May spoke to the room and Daisy had a pretty good idea what she was referring to now. Apparently, she and Coulson had discovered her solo jaunt into the Fitzwork, but how….

"I should kick your ass all over this, whatever the hell this is." May threatened. "I can't do that without hurting that little girl and I will not deny her this day or this time, but believe me as soon as there's a chance you and I are going to have a very long uncomfortable discussion and when I get you back…"

"Melinda?" Phil's voice came from the bottom of the stairs.

"Coming," Melinda answered as she let the subject drop and headed for the stairs.

Daisy hesitated for a bit before feeling Skye's tug on her presence and let herself be pulled back to join her little self.


	16. Chapter 16 - Slip Slidin' Away

**Chapter 16**

 **Slip Slidin' Away**

Christmas morning was everything Daisy imagined. There were piles of brightly colored boxes, cookies and special sweets she knew Skye would never be allowed to consume any other day of the year. Even breakfast was special…gingerbread pancakes with butterscotch syrup. She ate so many she was sure she would barf before getting to open a single gift. Even grandmother seemed…well a little less grumpy. Daisy found herself just as excited as Skye and was content to share all of the excitement with her smaller counter part.

Stockings came first. There was one for each of them hanging on the mantle. Each bulged with hidden treasures. Nainai actually smiled a tiny little smile when Skye handed her the small stocking that bore her name. She seemed happy to find her favorite candies, fruits and nuts stashed in bright red and green cellophane packets. There was also a small oval picture frame that held a smiling Skye in her school uniform. Nainai seemed to like it the most. Yeye grinned at the deck of cards with Chinese symbols and his own framed picture of his granddaughter. He too had small packets of nuts and fruits, but somehow had no candy and Skye suspected her grandmother had somehow made sure of that. Yeye was not supposed to have too many sweets and he absolutely loved little chocolate drops. He winked at her when she started to say something.

Melinda emptied her stocking into her lap, smiling at the large navel orange that had completely filled its toe. Large walnuts rolled to the floor and the little candy packets slid across each other. There was a small black velvet box that made her get a real funny look and she refused to open it until Phil had emptied his stocking as well. She picked up the hand woven hot pad that Skye had made at school and promised to use it every time she cooked. Skye was next and practically dumped the contents of her stocking all over the floor in her excitement. She laughed at the autographed picture of Captain America and wondered how her father had managed to get someone to sign it for him. She pushed aside the fruits and nuts and examined the fancy pens and pencils in all colors and designs. There was a Lisa Frank™ pencil case and a pack of Hello Kitty™ erasers. A set of scented markers and three games for a small handheld video player that she was sure she'd find somewhere in the pile of gifts she had yet to open.

Satisfied she'd examined everything of interest she turned to Phil.

"Okay, daddy, your turn," Skye was more excited about Phil's treasures than her own.

Phil hemmed and hawed a bit, saying he was a little tired and maybe he'd wait until after lunch to see what was inside his stocking. Skye whined and gave a pout before he laughed and turned the large red sock upside down dumping his loot onto the coffee table. Daisy immediately recognized a few of the trinkets Coulson had kept in his office on the Bus. And Skye whooped as he opened a brand new vintage pack of Captain America Trading Cards she and her mother had found at a flea market last summer. She'd kept the secret so long she thought she'd burst. Melinda smiled at him when he almost came to tears over the small gift. There was a key chain made from red and white pony beads strung on blue gimp that held a small metal ring and a round emblem with a large gold star in the center. Skye had made it herself and couldn't wait to see his car keys dangling from it. He tossed his cellophane packets into the large dish in the center of the table and fingered the small gold box that was the last to fall from his stocking. He picked it up and shook it gently getting a small rattle from within.

Melinda smiled a nod at him. It was from her, something special. They'd never put special gifts in stockings for each other before and somehow this year they both had the same idea.

"You have to open the little box now." Skye bounced on her knees in front of her mother. "You said after daddy emptied his stocking and he did so now you." Daisy found herself bouncing on the balls of her feet as she stood behind them, eagerly awaiting the opening of the small box.

Melinda still held the object in one hand and put the other over Phil's before he could open his own small package. He looked up at her and tilted his head. She smiled back as she opened the small box in her hand revealing the ring he had tried to give her ten years ago. She stared at it for a few seconds while everyone stared at her. The silence in the room was deafening. Melinda let out the breath she'd been holding and took the silver circle from the case, looked at the small but precious diamond and slipped it on her finger. Phil immediately opened the small box and took out the slip of paper inside. He turned it toward his small audience. It simply said – YES.

Skye jumped to her feet and bounced around the room like a kangaroo with caffeine overload. William stood as his daughter and soon to be son-in-law did the same. He waited until their kiss had ended then reached to shake Phil's hand. He spoke so quickly in Mandarin that even May could not translate. He turned to his daughter and embraced her tightly. Skye slapped her hands over her eyes and continued hopping and squealing with delight. Daisy enjoyed the exuberance of her youth, celebrating in ten year old style the engagement of May and Coulson…well, Phil and Melinda in this world, but she really felt that if they announced the same in the real world she'd probably react just like that hyperactive kangaroo.

Lian stood and watched the frenetic celebration waiting until the room calmed before she reacted or offered her opinion. Skye was the first to notice her grandmother's scowl. She slowed to a stop and stood staring at the woman, anticipating something that would surely put an end to their merriment. William caught his granddaughter's change out of the corner of his eye. His wide smile turned serious as Melinda and Phil turned to face Lian.

She stood with her hands folded in front of her, prim and proper as usual. "I have always been fond of you Phillip," Lian began by addressing Phil. "I could not ask for a better husband for my only daughter." Everyone gave a tentative smile waiting for the other shoe to drop. "However, I do not feel this is a good idea for reasons I cannot discuss here and now. I shall not stand in your way for this union has already been sealed, but mark my words there will be serious repercussions in the future."

"Mother," Melinda's voice was low, almost showing her hurt.

Phil stepped in front of his partner. "Lian, I know you how you feel about our choices. I know you haven't always approved and feel that we've made a terrible mistake…"

"Why do have to ruin everything?" Skye shrieked through her tears. "Why do have to take away everybody's happy stuff? Why are you so mean?" She stomped her foot and clenched her small fists. Daisy's anger fueled the little girl's tirade. "You didn't want me to see my parents and you didn't want me to have Christmas and now you don't want them to be happy. You're just a mean horrible person. I hate you. I wish you weren't my grandmother."

"Skye!" Melinda warned. "That's enough. Apologize to your grandmother."

Skye swiped at her angry tears and stomped again. "No! I won't."

"Skye, calm down, please." Phil spoke quietly, approaching his daughter slowly.

Skye backed away, shaking her head. "I'm not saying sorry cuz I'm not and I won't be and I don't care what you do to me. I know she doesn't like me. She thinks I'm just a big mistake. She says it all the time. _Tāmen zài pànjué zhōng fànle yánzhòng cuòwù*_. You say it to Yeye all the time and to mom, too!" Phil took the girl's hand in his own but she pulled away and stepped around him. "They _love_ me. My mother loves me and she hugs me and talks to me and so does my daddy. Not like you, you're just mean to me all the time. You're a mean old lady and you never even smile, ever!"

"SKYE!" Melinda used her most authoritative voice. "To your room, now!"

The girl glared at her mother and took a step back. "I…"

"Now, Skye," Melinda pointed toward the stairs. "Now, or we will deal with the consequences right here and now. Go!"

Skye took a deep breath before she looked to each person in the room then ran past them and pounded her feet up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door as hard as she could.

Melinda waited until Skye was out of ear shot before she turned on her mother but before she could speak Lian took the floor. "You have no control over that child, Melinda. You must take a stronger hand with her if you wish her to accomplish anything in her life. You have let her run wild without proper discipline."

Melinda took a deep breath and pictured Daisy, her adult-Skye. She thought of all the girl's accomplishments, her courage and perseverance. Daisy was the finest agent May had ever trained. She would be a shining star in the history of SHEILD. She'd saved the lives of her team and faced obstacles and hardships that might have crushed any other agent. She'd been hurt, mistreated, tortured and taken to hell and back yet she still faced every day with the same resolve. She would not be defeated. She was the best of her and the best of Phil combined in one…with a little alien DNA thrown in for good measure.

Melinda looked toward the stairs and knew Skye was crying her heart out, hugging that silly stuffed dog. "Mother, you have no right to question how I…we raise our daughter. She has the discipline she needs and she will be punished for her behavior, but that will be my decision not yours. As far as what she will be or not be in the future, I can tell you that she will be that on her own terms not mine and certainly not yours." Lian opened her mouth to speak then stopped and turned away from her daughter.

"Your mother does not bear ill feelings toward Skye, Melinda. She does not feel the child is a mistake. You know that. Her ways are that of the tiger mother. Discipline is love, punishment builds character in her way." He spoke softly to his daughter who nodded her understanding. Melinda had never defended herself to her mother, not like today, but she would defend her child against anyone, even Lian May.

"Perhaps we should retire to the kitchen for a cup of tea. I think we need to relax." William suggested

"Perhaps something a bit stronger than tea," Phil added as he took Lian's arm and moved toward the kitchen.

xx

Melinda knocked once then entered Skye's room without waiting for a reply. The girl was still crying hysterically into her mattress. Daisy sat next to her, rubbing her back and trying to convince her that things would be okay. She looked up as May approached.

 _'Oh, oh kid, mom's here,'_ Daisy whispered.

Skye spun quickly and sat on the edge of the bed, wiping her eyes and nose on her sleeves. "I don't care what you say. I'm not saying sorry. If you're gonna spank me then you better just do it because it won't make a difference. I don't care, I'm not saying it."

Melinda held out her hands and spoke softly. "Shhh, baobei, please calm down. There's not going to be any spanking. We just need to calm down."

"I don't want to talk about it either, mommy. I just want her to go away and leave us alone." Skye tried not to cry anymore but it was useless.

 _'Come on, kid take a breath,'_ Daisy urged her little-self. She looked at May but did not see anger or that fierce growl that came with her need to pulverize someone who's broken the rules or messed up royally. _'Give her a chance, Skye, she's trying to help.'_

Skye stopped and stared into her mother's eyes. Melinda opened her arms and the little girl ran into her embrace.

"I'm sorry, mommy." Skye sobbed into her mother's arms. "I ruined everything. I broke Christmas for everybody."

"No, baobei, no," Melinda shushed as she kissed the child's head. "You just made a mistake. You let your emotions take over and you just said what you were feeling. It happens to everyone."

 _'Not you,'_ Daisy breathed, but Skye's voice said the words.

Melinda bent down and kissed the girl's head. "Oh, my little one, it took me a very long time to learn to hold my tongue and a lot of very hard lessons."

"Will you teach me?" Skye looked up and sniffled as Melinda pulled tissues from her robe's pocket to wipe the child's face.

She nodded at the heartbroken little girl. "I will teach you when you're older. For now, you just need to be a little girl and not worry about not saying what you feel. What you need to do is not hold it in so long that it explodes." Skye sniffled again and nodded. "I know it's been a hard couple weeks and you've been upset and afraid but that doesn't give you the right to hurt other people or take all of it out on them."

Skye buried her face in her mother's robe and nodded her understanding. "I'm in big trouble, huh?" She mumbled without turning to face Melinda. She pulled her head back and looked her mother in the eye. "But you already said no spanking and you can't go back on your word."

Melinda raised an eyebrow. "Oh really, says who?"

Skye smiled. "I'm pretty sure it's an unwritten law that once you say something like that you have to mean it for keeps." In her mind she winked at Daisy, who winked back and gave her a thumb's up.

"I think it is the parent who makes that decision," Lian spoke from the doorway causing Skye to spin to her mother's opposite side, putting her between them. Melinda glared at her mother. Lian cast her daughter a quick glance. "I do not wish to interrupt, Melinda but I would like to speak to Skye, if you will allow it."

Melinda looked from her mother to her daughter and back. "That's up to Skye." She looked to the little girl for an answer.

"Will you stay with me?" The little girl whispered to her mother. Melinda nodded.

 _'Stay cool, kid.'_ Daisy urged.

Skye stepped from behind her mother and faced her grandmother. "Okay," the little girl spoke softly.

"I wish to apologize to you granddaughter. I do not wish you to feel that I dislike you. I find you to be a most enjoyable child, much like your mother in so many ways yet I see your father in you as well."

Skye looked up over her brows to see if Lian was serious. It was hard to tell, since the woman never ever smiled.

"I have made many mistakes in my life but my daughter was never one of them. I do not feel that you are her mistake. I feel you are her greatest accomplishment and you will make all of us proud. I forget that you are Melinda's child and she is free to raise you in the way she sees fit." Lian continued, speaking way over the little girl's head but Daisy understood and Skye knew that. "I do not wish to be the cause of you missing your holiday and wish that you return to open the gifts that still wait for you. I feel there are things there that may make up for this horrible bit of disagreement we have experienced."

Skye tilted her head and stared at her grandmother for a moment. "Do you still think my mom and dad are making a mistake by getting married?" She knew the woman would not lie to her.

"I still feel they are best for each other, but marriage is not necessary." Lian explained.

Skye nodded. "I don't really hate you, Nainai but you scare me all the time." Skye felt that one bit of honesty deserved another. Daisy nodded her approval. Skye could not help smiling.

Lian nodded. "I understand, sunnu. I will try to be more amicable." The woman attempted a small smile that caused both Skye and Melinda to grimace.

"It's okay, grandmother. You don't have to smile. I know it's under there." Skye grinned. "Maybe you just need some practice.

The woman reached out a hand and Skye took it. It wasn't a hug but it was a baby step. They started for the door with Melinda following.

 _'Hey, it's a start,'_ Daisy mused.

Melinda stopped and turned back, looking around the room before stepping out the door.

Daisy hurried to catch up to Skye.

xx

By noon all of the gifts had been opened and the parlor cleared of wrapping debris. William and Lian were in the kitchen disagreeing over how to cook the turkey while Skye sat sandwiched between her parents on the large parlor couch. They watched the lights on the tree twinkle in random rhythms while Skye continued to admire the silver bracelet her grandmother had placed on her wrist. It was the most beautiful, delicate thing she ever owned and the small Chinese characters represented her name and the name her grandmother usually called her. It meant 'innocent daisy flower'. Skye loved it. It was a gift for both her and for Daisy. Both of their names dangled in the softest silver. Skye would treasure it forever. She'd even hugged her grandmother. She laughed because Daisy said it was like hugging a tree, but she did it. She was going to apologize for saying all those mean things too, as soon as she figured out how to do it, but she figured Daisy could help before the day was over. She dropped her hands into her lap and looked up at her father as he yawned for the third time.

"You're not gonna tell me what happened are you?" She sighed.

Phil smiled down at her, while Melinda raised one brow. "I don't think you need to know right now." She told the little girl.

"Maybe someone else will tell me." Skye pouted as she folded her arms over her chest. In her mind she glared at Daisy who pulled a 'who me?' face and shook her head.

"And who might that be?" Melinda asked as she moved a bit to the side to glare down at her daughter.

Skye shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think you need to know right now." She used the same answer.

Phil stifled a laugh. Melinda was not so amused. She leaned close to the little girl and spoke softly. "You wanna rehash that deal we made earlier. I still owe you one." Daisy laughed at the girl's reaction. Skye mentally scowled back.

The little girl shook her head rapidly and leaned into her father. "I'm not a baby you know. You can tell me things."

"Not this time, baobei. Just know that you're father and I had a little bad luck but we're fine and we're home. That's all you need to know." Melinda tapped Skye's nose causing her to blink and pull back from her mother.

Phil wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a backward hug. "You'll always be my baby." He teased as he kissed her ear and neck. Skye giggled at the soft tickle as she relaxed into her father's embrace and pouted. For a few moments they just watched the blinking lights before Phil sighed. "You know, I don't remember Skye opening that special gift. Maybe Santa forgot it." He shook his head.

Melinda shook her head as she sat back against the couch. "No I don't think she opened that one. I didn't even see it." She played along with Phil, knowing full well they had held back this one gift. The one Skye had asked for almost every day only to be told she just was too young for such responsibility.

"What present?" Skye sat up and looked toward her gifts. "I opened all of them. See?" She'd been trying very hard to to let her disappointment show. After all she'd already caused a scene and skirted the consequence. She figured she needed to cut her parents and her grandparents a break by not pouting over something she had little chance of receiving anyway.

Phil stood and walked to the neatly stacked pile of clothing and assorted kid gifts. He tapped a finger on his chin and appeared to be deep in thought. "Nope, it's not here, Mel. I think we screwed up." He shook his head and turned to the little girl who had followed him. He looked down at her and shrugged his shoulders. "I can't imagine how this happened."

"Wait a minute," Melinda piped up as she shuffled her feet. "I think it just got pushed under here with all that nonsense earlier," She groaned as she pulled a flat box from beneath the couch. "Yep, that's what happened." She held it on her lap and smiled at the once again excited little girl.

Skye ripped open the box as Daisy waited in anticipation. She pulled open the cardboard and squealed with delight. "A laptop! My very own? A laptop!" She set it carefully on the table and hugged both parents. "It's the greatest thing ever. Can I use it now? Can I?"

Daisy ran her hand over the Apple iBook 12.1" Laptop - M8603LL/A, top of the line in May, 2002. What she could have done with a machine like that back then…well, back then plus a few years. It was beautiful and she didn't feel one iota of jealousy because she and Skye would get to know this little bit of technology together. All Daisy felt was the anticipation Skye had times ten.

"How about we let Daddy set it up for you while we get dressed?" Melinda suggested. Skye opened her mouth and let out a defeated breath. "It will just be a couple minutes."

Daisy laughed out loud, causing Skye to cough to cover it up. Melinda gave her an odd look and put out a hand to her, encouraging her to follow her up the stairs.

Phil waited until they were out of sight before he whispered. "I know you think this is pretty funny, Daisy, but the guys in tech have been over this with me a hundred times. I know what I'm doing."

The girl stared at the man who carefully removed all the laptop's components from the box and began his work. She wondered how he knew she was there but had little time to figure it out as she was needed elsewhere.

May pulled on sweats and a comfortable T-shirt that would not aggravate her injury. She pulled the blankets straight on the bed then turned and picked up a brush running it through her hair as she looked in the mirror. "I don't know what you're capable of here, Daisy but I know you can hear me. We need to talk so if you can somehow do that without scaring Skye, I want you front and center before I count to five. One…two…

 _'Oh geez, kid,'_ Daisy sounded worried as Skye pulled on a pair of jeans and picked out one of her new sweatshirts. _'I need to borrow you for a minute or so…mom wants to talk to_ _me_ _."_

Skye pulled her sweater over her head and flipped her hair away from her face. "You? She knows about you?"

Daisy wanted to kick herself…well, she could if she wanted to but would not hurt Skye. Dumb, dumb move, she told herself. _'She's a mother, she knows everything, Skye.'_ Daisy hoped that would pacify the child.

"Is she angry cuz I didn't tell her about you?" Skye wondered. "Cuz she already said no spankings and she can't…"

 _'Yeah, I know she can't take it back. I don't think she's mad a you. I think she's really mad at me.'_ Daisy breathed. _'I did something really stupid and she's probably gonna kill me.'_

"Oh, oh she promised me not you." Skye slapped a hand over her mouth.

 _'But we're the same person,'_ Daisy reminded her.

Skye laughed. "You're big, Daisy. You don't have to worry about it."

 _'Yeah…no worries,'_ Daisy let out a fluttery breath.

Skye held out a finger. "Do I get to listen when she talks to you?"

 _'I don't think that's a good idea, kid.'_ Daisy shook her head.

"Then no deal," Skye shook her head too.

Daisy thought fast. _'I'll teach you everything I know about computers.'_

Skye's eyes shot open. "Really? Promise? Everything? Even stacking?"

 _'Hacking'_

"Even hacking? Promise?"

 _'Cross my heart'_ Daisy ran a hand across her chest. What the hell, she figured. It wasn't like she was going to teach the kid anything she didn't know...errr…wouldn't know at some point. She'd keep it small, leave out a few things. Skye would figure it out herself, eventually.

"Okay, deal!" Skye spit on her hand and held it out for Daisy to do the same.

Ugh, she'd almost forgotten that disgusting deal sealer kids used. She swallowed the turn in her gut and did the same, slapping her hand on top of Skye's then immediately fell into the little girl's full consciousness. Her little-self was still there, she could feel her. She was safe and happily exploring some crazy kid memory Daisy had of sneaking into a movie theater.

"Five!" Melinda barked as she slammed the brush down on the dresser two seconds before Skye skidded in the door.

"May…May just let me explain…just listen for two minutes before you kill me." The little girl held out both hands as a flimsy shield.

Melinda crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the child. "Close the door," she ordered quietly.

Daisy quickly did as she was told and turned back to face her mentor. "I had to do it, May. I had to bring Skye back before something happened, before she saw more than she could handle. I couldn't wait. No one would believe me." Daisy started to realize she sounded like a kid pleading her case to a parent who had already passed judgment.

"What were you thinking? Do you realize what could have happened?" May spoke through her teeth.

"Of course I know what could have happened. I know what I'm doing, May." Daisy shot back.

"And what if we didn't find you? What if something went wrong? We didn't even know you were there. We wouldn't have found you until this afternoon. You could have been dead by then!" May was actually yelling.

"I'm not a child, May. I know how the program works and I told you I had to get Skye back here before she found out things she doesn't need to know. She saw enough as it was." Daisy tried explaining again.

"You should have come to us." May slammed her hand on the dresser causing Daisy to jump.

"You wouldn't have believed me. Hell, I wouldn't have believed me. Telling you that a computer generated kid somehow followed me or got pulled through cyberspace into the real world and was following me around the base. Yeah, that sounds about right. You would have pulled the plug on the whole thing and don't say you wouldn't." Daisy was losing her temper very quickly.

"You're damn right I wouldn't. How the hell can something that's not even real suddenly just appear?" May demanded.

"She didn't _appear_." Daisy shot back. "She's just in my head. She's me and I'm her we're just different but someone we exist together."

"Well, that sounds just about right." May agreed.

Daisy realized what she said. "No, no that's not what I meant. I meant you can't see her. She's in my thoughts and she talks to me and only I can see her and…" Daisy stopped. It sounded worse when she actually tried to explain. "Just believe me May, she was there. You can ask her…no, no don't because she thinks it was just a dream."

May glared at the small girl who looked and sounded like Skye but spoke in Daisy's words. "Let me get this straight. The kid that followed you…"

"Got pulled in or out," Daisy corrected.

May glared harder (if that was possible). "She was dreaming all this but you could see her and talk to her."

"No, she wasn't dreaming. She just _thought_ she was dreaming." Daisy corrected again. "She said it was a dream. I just went along with her so I wouldn't have to explain."

"Explain to the kid in your head that thought she was dreaming only she wasn't because she got pulled onto the base and you needed to stop her from seeing too much." May reiterated.

"Yes!" Daisy agreed.

"So who left the mess in the com room?" May narrowed her eyes.

"That was Skye." Daisy smiled. "Wait a minute, what mess?"

"Tell me you don't know anything about the cereal mess all over the table?"

"Oh that…yeah…that was when she was sleepwalking my body. I woke up and had to get her out of there before she saw you and Coulson. I'd never be able to explain that." Daisy continued.

"So the kid that wasn't dreaming was really sleepwalking but using your body instead of her own." May nodded.

"Well, she had to use my body, hers is just virtual. I mean I did it first with hers. It's pretty easy once I got the hang of it. We used it to hack into the computer in there," she pointed toward the door to Phil's computer room. "We were trying to find out where you were and…what were you doing in Chechnya? Is that how you got hurt? You were shot weren't you?" The little girl's eyes grew wide. Melinda narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Don't worry, Skye can't hear us."

May let out the long breath, "So after all that you just decided to put yourself into the program even _after_ Fitz warned you about the danger."

"I had to May. I had to put her back."

May threw her hands in the air. "Regardless it was a stupid move. I ought to wear you out, Daisy. I've had it with your disregarding everything and taking risks that put you in danger. Maybe you need a more forceful reminder. She reached out and grabbed the little girl's arm before she could move away.

"NO, May, wait. It's the truth. Don't…" Daisy struggled to escape the woman's grip.

The world blipped a few times and May pulled herself to a sitting position, as Simmons hurried to remove her headgear.

"Thank goodness. You're back and fine." She smiled up at Coulson who stood on the opposite side of May's narrow mattress. "Six hours exactly."

May let out a breath and slammed her hands down on the gurney. She looked over her shoulder at the young girl who was slowly opening her eyes. She was not done with Daisy. May slid off the gurney and stormed around it and Coulson snatching the young agent by the arm and dragging her to her feet. "Let's go!" She barked. "We're gonna spend a few hours on the mats. Maybe I can _knock_ a little sense into you."

Daisy pulled her arm away and looked around the room, terrified at what she saw. "Why are you so mad at me?" She sobbed at May as she dissolved into tears. She inched backward until she bumped the wall then slid to the corner and fell to the floor pulling herself into a tight ball. "I'm sorry, mommy, please don't be mad. I'm sorry."

The others in the room stared at the girl before exchanging concerned glances.

xx

Skye stood in her mother's room and shook her head a few times. Something was missing…something wasn't right. She looked at her hands and down at her feet and body. Something was definitely wrong. She patted her sides, her back and her face. "Damn," she whispered as she moved to the dresser and stood on her toes to see as much of herself as possible in the mirror. "Damn, damn, double damn!" Daisy exclaimed at her reflection.

"I beg your pardon," Melinda's voice came from behind as the girl turned and swallowed hard.

Skye was gone, back to the Cage…back to Daisy's body and Daisy was about to face Melinda's wrath here in the Fitzwork.

"Damn," she repeated under her breath staring into her mother's very angry glare.


	17. Chapter 17 - Freakin' Freaky Friday

**Chapter 17**

 **Freakin' Freaky Friday**

Daisy backed up against the dresser causing the various items there to shake and jingle as they wobbled with the soft push. She swallowed hard and stared into the eyes of the woman glaring at her. This was not her 'May' this was Skye's Melinda…Skye's mother…the mother she never knew and without her little self she had no memory.

She did, however, recognize the _'you are in deep shit, Daisy'_ look.

"What would possess you to go into your father's office and how, _how_ did you manage to access his computer?" Melinda was demanding answers.

"Wha…what?" Daisy shook her head a few times, just to clear the fuzzy feeling of being split in two. Of all the things May, no Melinda, Melinda would remember, it had to be that stupid computer incident. She considered running and judged the distance from the dresser to the door combined with the time it would take to open it and get out. Then she considered the difference in size. May…Melinda was bigger, stronger and faster… _and_ she really looked pissed. Nope, she wouldn't even make it halfway to the door before Maylinda had her.

Melinda took a step toward her daughter, still finding it hard to believe the little girl had broken the one rule she'd been given about her parents' room. She couldn't understand how Skye could have gotten the through the lock and could not imagine how she got into Phil's computer. It was impossible.

Daisy backed up against the dresser until she stood on her tiptoes. Bottles and toiletries toppled behind her. "Come on, May…I…I…didn't…." Daisy couldn't even fathom why she would try to reason with May when she looked like she did right now. May or Melinda it didn't matter because someone was about to get a heavy dose of whup-ass.

" _What_ did you call me?" Melinda turned her head just a bit as if she were listening closely.

"May…be…maybe…I s-said maybe…" Daisy whispered the 'be', showing she was nervous…hesitant. Hell, she was. She'd seen May angry but never like this. This was a whole different ball game.

"Ok," Melinda stopped advancing toward the girl and folded her arms over her chest. "Maybe what? Maybe you did?" She spread her arms out in front of her, palms up. "Maybe you didn't? Which is it?"

"Maybe I said it…I…don't…I don't remember." Daisy slumped at bit realizing what a stupid response that was.

"Are you telling me you did not just tell me that you were in that room?" May pointed toward the door as her voice rose.

Daisy shrugged her shoulders. Yes, she told May… _her_ May, she told _her_ May what happened when trying to explain her reason for slipping into this crazy computer world. She certainly did not tell Skye's mother the kid had done something so stupid it would put her butt in serious jeopardy. This was just getting worse and worse.

Melinda took two more steps and took Skye by the upper arm, tugging her gently away from the dresser. The girl took a quick intake of breath a second before the door opened. "No, no, no…wait, just wait. I just…please, you promised…" Daisy remembered Melinda's promise to Skye.

"Yes, I did," Melinda nodded. "I certainly did but that was…" She stopped as the door opened and Phil stepped inside.

"Hey, what's taking so long? I've got the laptop all ready for you and…" He halted at the look in his wife's eyes.

"Coulson," Daisy breathed as she easily slipped from Melinda's grip and ran to the man, wrapping her arms around his waist. He embraced her and looked to her mother in confusion. She buried her face in his T-shirt and breathed in the familiar scent of his cologne.

xx

Skye cowered in the corner, sobbing quietly. Fitz powered down the system bringing a buzzy silence to the room. Simmons was the first to approach the girl. She squatted down a few inches from her and reached out a hand laying it gently on her shoulder.

"Daisy?" Simmons whispered softly. "Daisy…are you hurt?"

Skye pulled her arm away and cried harder. "I want my mom." She spoke between sobs. "I wanna go home."

"You are home," Simmons spoke quietly. "I know you have a hard time coming back to us and this time you…" She looked over her shoulder at the three agents watching and took a short breath. "Well, lets just say this time things were a bit different." She gave Daisy a few seconds to digest what she'd said, but there seemed to be no reaction. The doctor rubbed the girl's forearm which Skye pulled back as if she'd been scalded and cried harder. May took a step toward her but Simmons held up a hand to stop her. "How about if you let me help you to your bunk and you can rest for a bit? That usually helps, doesn't it?"

Skye shook her head and pushed Simmons away. She didn't like this place and she didn't like this person. She was that doctor lady, the one that did all that poking.

Skye was terrified. She searched her thoughts for any trace of Daisy, but everything was empty. She knew sometimes Daisy went away, but it wasn't like this. This was different she couldn't feel any part of her. She tried thinking to her, begging her to answer but she was gone, just _gone_ and Skye was alone in this horrible dream place.

Simmons stood and walked to the others. She kept her voice low, so Daisy would not hear. "She is too hysterical to reason with right now. I suggest giving her a sedative and letting her sleep for a few hours. Hopefully, she'll get past this much like the last few times."

Coulson looked at May who nodded slightly. Fitz checked and rechecked his tablet before nodding as well. "There is absolutely nothing here that says she is anything other than normal. I think it just affects her more than you because she's bouncing back and forth between being a child and an adult. That's hard enough doing once but to do it over and over." He shook his head as he watched Simmons prepare the injection.

Skye could hear the soft mumble of the adults a few feet away. She peeked through her fingers but only saw a tangle of legs through the various tables and stretchers in the room. The doctor lady walked away from them then turned and walked back toward her very slowly. Skye was able to see the clothing she wore now. It wasn't the jeans and sweatshirt she'd just pulled on but the green plaid flannel PJ pants and pink T-shirt she'd gone sleepwalking in using Daisy's body. She slowly and carefully moved her arms and felt her legs that were folded beneath her. She patted her stomach and felt her short hair. She was in Daisy's body again…still sleepwalking? Dreaming? Why? How? She was just…just…Skye couldn't remember what she'd been doing. Daisy needed to borrow her body. She needed to talk to mommy. Daisy was in trouble. Daisy was going to teach her to use her new laptop…her new laptop…daddy was setting it up…she didn't get to use it…she….

Simmons had once again squatted down next to the girl and had pushed up her sleeve just a bit. She rubbed a small area with a cold cotton swab. "Just a little sting…"

"NO!" Skye squealed pulling away, dropping to her bottom, kicking herself backward across the tile floor and away from Jemma. "No, I don't want it. Leave me alone. I don't want any needles." She looked for an escape, a way to get away from this too white room and this doctor lady who just wanted to poke her again.

Jemma caught her balance, placing one hand on the floor while managing to hold on to the hypodermic with the other. Fitz moved to her side, helping her to her feet and staring at the frantic girl who had pushed herself across the room. She assured him she was not hurt and turned toward the senior agents.

"Daisy!" May barked, still incensed over the girl's ridiculous choice in entering the program on her own. She stepped toward the wide-eyed panic stricken agent. "You need to pull yourself together. Let Simmons help. You're just making it worse."

This lady looked and sounded like Mommy, but she wasn't. Mommy didn't wear clothes like that and she never spoke to her that way. Her eyes were different, something wasn't there…something soft and smiley. This lady scared her more than the doctor lady. She squealed again and tried desperately to move farther away.

Coulson gently moved his partner aside and squatted down to speak to the terrified girl. "Hey, kiddo," he smiled. "It's okay. You're safe now. No one here wants to hurt you, Daisy. You know that. We're family, remember? We're all back now, safe and sound. You just need to relax a little bit and come down off that virtual ride we all took." He smiled again and for the first time she looked at him.

Skye stared for a moment, listening to that familiar soft, calming voice. She rubbed both eyes and blinked a few times then rubbed them again. "Daddy," she whispered so softly no one heard. "Daddy," she sobbed as she scrambled across the floor and knelt to wrap her arms around his neck.

Coulson stood, bringing the girl with him, holding her close and shushing her as she cried onto his shoulder. He felt her tremble in his arms, feeling her panic slowly dissolve but not disappear. He nodded toward Simmons who stepped quietly behind Daisy, quickly lowered her waist band just enough to expose the top of her backside and inject the sedative.

Skye cried harder and squeezed her father tighter. "No, no, no…" she sobbed.

xx

Daisy held on to Coulson, knowing that if anyone could defuse May it would be him. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and hoped for the best because if anyone could set Coulson off it was definitely May. She'd just have to take her chances.

"What happened?" Coulson asked softly, putting a hand on the back of Skye's head and looking toward Melinda.

"This little one just told me she spent a few hours with your computer while we were away. Apparently she doesn't need any help with programming since she was not only able to pick the lock on the door but got past your password and into your files." Melinda informed him as if debriefing after a mission gone very bad.

Coulson pushed the little girl away and held her at arms length. Daisy was already shaking her head. "Skye," He sounded more disappointed than angry, which was worse. "Is that true?"

"Damn," Daisy spit, not quietly enough.

"What?" Coulson was shocked.

"Seems to be her new favorite word," May snarled through pinched lips.

"Am not sure…I'm not sure…" Daisy rolled her eyes at the stupidity of that cover up.

May did the same before continuing. "You look your father in the eye and tell him you did not break into his office."

Daisy looked into the eyes of the man looking right at her. She knew it was Skye's father, not Coulson but it was much harder to tell the difference. She'd never, ever lied to him even when it meant some very uncomfortable conversations. She figured Skye had pretty much the same relationship and would not jeopardize that for anything. She took a deep breath.

"No, daddy, I, Skye Coulson, did not break into your office. I didn't daddy, really." Okay, Daisy reasoned, that was not a lie because Skye didn't do it, she did. Skye had no idea what she did or how she did it or what she found out.

Melinda was behind her in less than a second and spun her around to face her. "Skye Coulson what is wrong with you today? You just told me you broke into that office."

"I…I…don't think I f-f-f…" Daisy stopped herself before saying she was sick. She'd developed the skill of making herself throw-up to get out of trouble as a kid and knew if she had to she could dash to the bathroom and puke at will. She almost laughed wondering what a computer code kid would toss and pictured all those little 1's and 0's swirling around in the bowl. But it would be no laughing matter because if she even mentioned feeling sick Melinda would come at her armed with that damn thermometer and she was _not_ going there.

"You don't think what?" Melinda growled, "that I won't tan your little hide?"

"Mel," Phil stepped forward. "It's Christmas." He put an arm around the little girl standing next to him and looked at his partner.

"I really don't remember," Daisy explained looking up at Skye's father. "I…I was sleepwalking. I don't remember anything. Really." Again it was the truth. Skye _was_ sleepwalking and she didn't remember.

"Sleepwalking? Sleepwalking! You have never been sleepwalking." Melinda shook her head.

Daisy nodded at Melinda. She looked up at Phil. "Daddy, I'm tired." She feigned a wide yawn. "Really tired." She leaned against him. "Maybe I just need a nap." That could work, tired, exhausted, that was it.

Phil looked down at his daughter and up at his partner. "Come on, Mel, she's been through a lot. We all have. We're all exhausted."

For a few moments it was quiet. Daisy leaned against Phil. He rubbed his hand up and down her arm while Melinda stared into space before breaking the silence. She pointed a finger at Daisy and then toward the open door.

"You go to your room and you better be asleep when I come to check on you." She warned calmly.

Daisy nodded, trying not to smile at her success then wasted no time in getting away from the situation. She turned from Phil and almost ran out the door before being stopped by Melinda's voice.

"I will talk to Yeye about this and if you are lying to me I promise your bottom will smart for a very long time. And you," she turned to Phil as Skye hurried down the hall and into her own room. "You can put that laptop away until we get to the bottom of this mess."

xx

Skye felt herself slipping away into blackness…and relief. Daisy's body slumped against Coulson who quickly took her into his arms.

"I'll get her to her bunk." He nodded toward Simmons and May. "You can get her settled."

Simmons nodded and began collecting items she might need and placing them in a pack. May thought for a second then shook her head.

"No," she stated calmly.

Coulson stopped halfway to the door, Daisy limp in his arms. Simmons froze with a stethoscope in hand while Fitz merely looked up from the instruments he was triple checking.

"May, we c…" Coulson started.

"She's not stable, Coulson," May began. "We don't know what might happen. What if she can't control herself?" He knew she referred to Daisy's seismic power and found it hard to argue.

"She's got a point," Simmons agreed. "Perhaps we should put her next door. The room sustained little damage and it's been cleaned, reprogrammed and secure. She'll be safe there and we can monitor her at the same time."

Coulson looked down at the now serene face of the girl in his arms but knew full well the damage she could create should she lose control. Hopefully, after a few hours of drug induced sleep she'd be back to her self. In the meantime, Simmons could keep an eye on her progress from anywhere on the base. At least those systems were up and running. He gave a quick nod and followed Simmons out the door and into the next secured room.

He laid Daisy gently on the bed and brushed his hand over her head. This was unfair. Daisy needed so much to have these memories, to know that he and May would have done their best to raise her and love her and give her the life she deserved. He wanted to make up for all she had lost…for all they had lost as a family but she was suffering and he wondered if maybe they'd made a mistake. Fitz had been over the program and had given him report after report. Everything was running smoothly according to those reports. All medical tests were repeated weekly and every time everyone came back one hundred percent normal. The five agents debriefed every other day and gave no negative reports. Yet his headaches remained and intensified. May's dark mood grew ominous and Daisy…her reactions were getting more and more bizarre. Was all of this really worth it?

"Sir?" Simmons' voice startled him out of his stupor. He stepped aside as she moved to check Daisy's vitals while May stepped next to him and cast a quick glance his way. Simmons let out a soft sigh and stood. "Everything is normal. The best we can do is let her rest. I will keep a close eye on her, sir, I promise."

Coulson nodded once and hesitated just a bit too long before Simmons smiled again and placed a hand on his arm.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, sir. It's just a little adjustment period, like Fitz explained. It's difficult going from adult to child and back again. I will let you know if there are any changes and definitely when she wakes."

May stood watching, thinking…remembering that last few seconds before they were pulled from the program. She'd been talking to Daisy but looking at Skye. It was an odd scene and she wondered if either of the scientists was aware that although Daisy did indeed become a child when there, she also held her adult self. Daisy and Skye existed together, separate but one while in the Fitzwork. She'd considered it a few times when watching the little girl have animated conversations with herself and confirmed it today when she called Daisy out.

She considered sharing the information with Fitz. Maybe Daisy's difficulty in waking after the six hour period had something to do with the fact that she spent the time as not one but two people in some bizarre mixture of mind and body. It kind of made sense, how the hell could Fitz put an adult into a kid's body. He'd have to meld their minds somehow, only the meld wasn't complete. Somehow they each kept their own separate personalities and were able to communicate. May thought hard about that and knew she'd probably go stark raving mad if she had to deal with her own thoughts and those of computer Melinda. Nope, when she entered the program she slipped into her computer self and had complete control. She let the way she felt about Skye and Coulson free from the tight mental compartments where she had locked them. Everything she thought, did and said while there were the things she wished she could do here. It infuriated her more than she thought it would and more than she could manage hiding. It was becoming more and more difficult to maintain it and this new shit with Daisy was getting to be too much. Maybe it was time to pull the plug.

Simmons watched the two concerned people stare at the girl on the bed and could not help smile. For so long she had just seen them as Daisy's parents and now that was true. There was one thing that still confused her and she had Piper attempting to solve that riddle, but for now she was happy to see her friend finally reunited with the parents she needed. However, what that same friend needed right now was rest. She stepped between Coulson and May and took both by the arms.

"Let's just let her sleep now. Maybe all of you need some rest." She turned them toward the door and dimmed the lights as they exited.

The airlock engaged as the door closed.

xx

Daisy lay on Skye's bed with her arms behind her head. She stared at the ceiling knowing at the click of the door knob she could feign sleep. That was an old trick and she was an expert at it. It was a skill she'd honed many years ago when the Sisters pulled surprise bed checks. It got her out of a lot of hot water on more than one occasion.

This was a crazy situation and she had to figure a way out of it. Of course she could just bide her time until Skye returned. In real time that would be about twenty four hours, providing her solo jaunt into the Fitzwork hadn't caused any glitches. Of course that did not mean the same amount of time here in 'Pleasantville'¹. Here that could be a mere five minutes or even five years. She couldn't take that chance.

She'd been able to contact Radcliffe from one side to the other by sending him yoyo's. From there she managed a link and opened a communication line to him. But she knew he was there. No one knew she was here. No one would believe it and if she was here then Skye was there and the kid was probably terrified. She probably thought she was dreaming some horrible nightmare again or stuck in that sleepwalking thing. Daisy had no way to reach Skye. All she felt was that dark emptiness that was her. If Skye felt the same thing it would make things even worse.

Daisy sat up quickly with the thought that Simmons, Coulson…May, they would believe she'd lost it, that the program had fried her brain and May would probably destroy the whole shebang single handedly. Damn, if that happened she'd be…well, she _wouldn't_ be and Skye would be stuck there – a ten year old in an adult body. A ten year old in an inhuman adult body with the power to take down mountains would not fare well in the real world. They'd lock her up for sure. She'd be lost in both worlds.

"Great, this is just great." Daisy spoke to herself and felt the lonely ache when Skye's little voice did not answer back. She stood and paced back and forth across the soft carpet biting on her thumbnail. Her only chance was Fitz. He was the only one that she might be able to convince that this crazy situation was happening and the only one that might be able to figure out how to fix it. But how the hell was she going to pull that off. It wasn't like she could just pick up a phone or send an email…send and email…

"Send an email!" Daisy shouted, bounced on her toes and clapped her hands then quickly slapped her hands over her mouth and froze waiting for May…no Melinda to come storming through the door. She tiptoed back to the bed and lay back down, once again staring at the ceiling.

The laptop…she needed that laptop and after her…Skye's behavior in the last hour or so it was not likely she'd be seeing it anytime soon. She could just wait until tonight. Everyone had to sleep. She'd wait then just find it and get it done. "Yeah and if I get caught…" She couldn't even complete the thought. But would it work, could she access the program from inside the program? Was that even possible? In some freaky sci-fi world it probably was, but really… Well, the only way to find out was to get that laptop.

The only way to get that thing back was to be on her best behavior…good as gold…an angel. She laughed at that thought, but then thought again. Skye could do it. She could behave herself…redeem herself. Yeye would verify her sleepwalking story and that would be a start. She'd apologize to that witchy grandmother lady and then bend over backward to behave herself.

That shouldn't be a problem. Skye was a good kid. She had her moments but she was nothing like the Skye that grew up at St. Agnes. Well, not even Skye. That was Mary Sue Poots. Mary Sue Poots that broke into Sr. Joan's office and took the emergency funds then waited for that stupid jingly music ice cream truck and treated all the kids in the orphanage to their favorite frozen treat. Hey, it was an emergency! The temperature was in the nineties and the kids deserved it. Sr. Joan dragged her to confess her sin and made her write the Seventh Commandment one hundred times after whacking her hands with a ruler about twenty times. Well, it was probably more like three or four, but it felt like twenty.

It was Mary Sue Poots that found a crate of those numbered ping pong ball things they used for bingo behind the church and flushed every one of them down the toilets in the boys' bathroom flooding the entire first floor. The kids got to spend two days in a motel with a pool while the Board finally had to cough up the money to foot the bill and have the plumbing updated. She probably would have gotten away with it if Bruno Haas hadn't snitched. She watched him dive into the pool from the window of the motel room. Sister broke her paddle that day, thankfully when she slammed it against the table in an effort to make a point then found one of those bolo-bat things in the gift shop and used that to make another point perfectly clear to Mary Sue.

She smiled at the memories that she hadn't thought about in years, things that this Skye would never do. Hell, the worst thing the kid did was that dumb bike ride into the street. As far as Daisy knew, she'd been clean ever since. Well, except for today with all that screaming at granny.

She smiled at the thought of Mary Sue giving Suellen Bradshaw a rather jagged haircut just to teach her a lesson. She'd made fun of Michelle Hein for weeks. Michelle had that fine wispy white blonde hair that stuck out everywhere no matter what she did. Mary Sue waited until Suellen was asleep and made sure her hair looked worse. In fact the only way it could have been fixed would have been with a buzz cut. Suellen wore a hat for months. Mary Sue didn't sit for days but it was worth it to see that bitch suffer too. Anyway her butt was in perfect working order long before Suellen's hair grew back and by then sweet little Michelle was off to a foster home that just loved her. She never returned.

The best thing she did, the thing that sent Sr. Joan right over the edge was the day she emptied a whole gallon of Dawn™ dish detergent all over the main hallway, dumped a bucket of water on top and showed the kids how to surf from one end to the other. The sisters were at vespers and Sr. Ann Francis was supervising, but as usual she fell asleep leaving them to their own devices. It was raining, pouring, had been for days and everyone was bored but not after the great slip and slide Mary Sue created.

It took almost three hours to clean it up with two gallons of white vinegar and then another three applying wax the next day, a chore Mary Sue did by herself with supervision and a very sore backside. But it was worth it to see the kids have so much fun on such a crummy day.

Yep, that was Mary Sue Poots the hellion of St Agnes. St. Joan left a few months after the dish detergent incident. Daisy had stayed in the girls' dorm that morning, not wanting to ruin the woman's last day, but Sr. Joan came looking for her. She actually hugged her and thanked her for all the things she did for the kids. She was ten, she didn't really understand so she just hugged her back because she didn't get many hugs and she took them when she could.

Daisy let out a long breath. Nope she could not be the hell raising ten year old she was then. She had to be the ten year old that would get that laptop back and contact Fitz. She had to get it back and fix this fiasco before May pulled the plug and ended everything. It couldn't end. She needed it and so did they.

Something was up with May and Coulson. Both of them knew she was here, _with_ Skye not _as_ Skye. Both of them knew and neither told the other. Both of them were conscious of being here as well, but it didn't seem that they'd shared that with each other. What were they up to anyway?

She didn't complete the thought as the door clicked and she grabbed her stuffed puppy, rolled to her side, closed her eyes and slowed her breath to imitate sleep.

Melinda stood for a few moments and watched the little girl on the bed pretend to be asleep. She couldn't help smiling. She walked to the bed and sat down. She had to admit Skye was getting good at this, she almost had her fooled. She'd wait.

Daisy kept her cool, remained curled in a ball when she felt the bed sag. Ma…Melinda…Mom was back. Okay, she'd just continue 'sleeping' until she left. She'd just wait.

Melinda smiled and shook her head. She stood and walked the short distance to Skye's desk, pulled out her chair, turned it toward the bed and sat down. "I know you're not sleeping, Skye." She said quietly.

Daisy almost forgot to breath. She knew it was a test. They always tested, and she always passed. They always left believing she was sound asleep because they couldn't break her. Then she heard the chair, the dreaded desk chair…the chair Melinda-Mom pulled out on that bike day. It was the only time she remembered Maymominda sit down on that particular chair. This could not be good. She stretched out her legs and let out a defeated breath but still did not turn toward the woman. Apparently things had not gone well and she was there to keep her promise. Oh, well Daisy thought, at least Skye doesn't have to see her mother go back on her word and at least Melinda uses her hand not some damn paddle. It won't be that bad…Daisy told herself. Of course facing May afterward would be a bit embarrassing.

She turned over slowly and offered her mother a tiny smile.

"We need to talk, baobei." Melinda smiled back.

"Talk?" Daisy repeated, trying her best to be a ten year old. "Just talk?" She swallowed hard as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Melinda smiled again and put out a hand. "Yes, Skye, just talk, that's all."

Daisy was conflicted. Skye would believe her mother, but Daisy had been lied to over and over." She wrestled with the two feelings.

"Come, baobei." Melinda shook her hand a bit waiting for her little girl to take it, but Skye just stared as if she didn't recognize her. She tilted her head and stared back for a moment before rising and approaching the bed. Skye put up a defensive arm and jumped back. Melinda dropped to her side immediately gathering the little girl into her arms. "Oh, Skye, honey I am so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Your father was right. We've all been through an awful lot and I was just…I shouldn't have lost my temper earlier. Yeye told me how upset you were and how he found you sleepwalking not once but twice. Oh, wǒ kě'ài de bǎobèi wǒ fēicháng bàoqiàn.²" Melinda hugged the little girl tighter and apologized through her tears rocking back and forth and kissing Skye's head.

Daisy had never heard May cry. She didn't like it. It made her cry too. It made her cry and she couldn't help it. It was like some kind of symbiotic tear production. She just thought about May crying and it made her tears run faster. "Don't cry mayme…mommy. Please don't cry." She mumbled from beneath her mother's tight embrace. "I'm sorry too. I'm sorry for being a brat."

"Baobei, you're not a brat, just a little girl that missed her mom and dad for much too long. Oh sweetheart, we missed you so much. We were so afraid we would never see you again, baobei." Melinda cried.

"It's okay Mommy. You're here now. We're here. We're okay." Daisy felt weird comforting this woman, but it seemed like she really needed it. "Maybe you're tired too, mommy. Maybe we should both rest a little bit."

Melinda nodded and kissed Skye's head as she eased them both onto the mattress. Daisy felt a little odd in this position, curled up on a bed, wrapped around May, but it wasn't May it was Mom and it kinda felt nice and safe and comfortable. She snuggled into the woman who had calmed down to just a few sniffly breaths. Melinda kissed her forehead and slipped her hair behind her ear. She pulled her close and began singing that song, that mom is the best song and Daisy relaxed into it.

Phil pushed open the door and smiled at the sight before him. It had been a hell of a day and it would be a least two hours before dinner was ready. Lian had banished him from the kitchen, insisting he get some rest. He intended to do just that after he checked on his girls. He gently crawled into Skye's small bed and wrapped his arm around them both. Melinda slipped her fingers through his as he kissed the back of her head.

It was a tight fit, but it was cozy and he wouldn't have it any other way.

xx

Simmons excused herself to go in search of Fitz. They would review the tapes of the session and once again review all of the monitors to be sure there were no viruses or other malfunctions in the program. She'd already acquired a tablet and connected to the Cage room where they'd left Daisy. She assured Coulson again that she would contact them immediately if there was the slightest change.

Coulson and May walked together in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. There wasn't much left in the base. A few of the Cage rooms had been spared and easily repaired, the lab and medical bay had been given the most attention in the past few months and the common room was in fairly good shape. The offices were pretty much left to hold what could be salvaged. Both their bunks had been obliterated leaving them to take up residence in whatever was left. They'd each chosen a small dark room that was no different than those of any other agent, but managed to set up a space in a third larger room for meetings and office space. They'd even managed to rescue a couch and a few comfortable chairs. It wasn't a surprise that the senior agents found themselves in that make-shift office.

Coulson pulled a bottle and two small glasses from the bottom drawer of a beat up filing cabinet. He placed them on the wobbly table and poured the amber liquid, handed a glass to May and picked the other up himself. He held it out in a mock toast then drank it in one gulp. He watched May do the same then poured another for her before filling his glass as well.

"We need to put an end to this," May stated without looking at him.

Coulson took a sip of his drink then stared into it. Part of him knew she was right but part could not let go of that little girl he had grown to love. He loved the way she ran to him, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him goodnight. He loved hearing her call him daddy and answering all her questions. He didn't think he could give that up. How many parents had this opportunity? How many parents could hold on to those years and live them over again? When he thought he'd lost his little girl, when he put that little body into the ground a quarter of a century ago, he buried that part of his heart. He ached inside every year on the anniversary of that day and wondered what she would have looked like, what she would sound like and just what kind of person she would be. How could he let that go now? How could he allow himself to lose her again?

"I don't think I can." He said to his drink before downing it completely.

May shook her head and set her glass on the table. The condensation caused it to slide on the uneven surface. She watched it move a few inches then stop. "I don't think we have a choice. Look what it's doing to her…what it's doing to you…to us?"

"Us?" He looked up for the first time.

"All we do is argue…over everything. We're…" she pursed her lips and shook her head, "I'm on edge constantly, just looking for a fight."

Coulson couldn't help the chuckle. "Since when is that unusual?"

She narrowed her eyes at him but refused to take the bait. "The headaches? I know you still have them. I know they're worse."

"I can handle the headaches. I can't handle losing you-zing Fitz's program to give Daisy what she needs." He covered up his almost slip. Skye wasn't the only thing he hated to lose. The Fitzwork gave him the opportunity to be with May in the way he wished they had been…they could be. To hell with protocol, they would run this agency together…united…as one. In your dreams, Phil, he told himself…or in the Fitzwork.

"What she _needs_?" May almost moaned. "You saw her today. Do really think that's what she needs?"

"Of course not, but it doesn't last. She comes through it." He sighed, trying to convince himself.

"And what if she doesn't? What if she is damaged? What if we can't get her back? Are you ready to lose her a second time? Lose her when we just found her?" May's voice cracked with unspent tears. "I can't Phil, I just can't" And with that Melinda May broke. The ache she'd left behind all those years ago split open wide and the emotion flooded forward.

Coulson moved to hold her before she collapsed. He'd seen May at her best and her worst. He'd been there in her darkest hour but this…this pain she never allowed him to see…to share…this was loss that neither of them had been able to grieve.

"My god, Phil, she was so little, so perfect and she…she…"

"I know…" He shushed her, holding her close, feeling the last of his throbbing headache disappear. "I know."

"I never got to hold her…to feel her breath on my face…she was cold, I wanted to hug her and I couldn't, I just couldn't…I didn't deserve her…"

"No, no, May don't do this to yourself…don't go there. It wasn't Skye…it wasn't our…" He tried consoling her.

"I believed it then. I believed my baby was cold and dead and it was my fault. I shouldn't have gone there Phil. She…our child…our Skye didn't die but it's still my fault we lost her…we lost her, Phil and damned her to a life of blood and loss and loneliness…oh, god, Phil…what did I do?"

"May, May listen to me…it wasn't your fault. There was no way we could have known. Please May, don't. She's here. She's safe with us."

"All that time, all those years she was alive…alone...searching for us. Then you find her and I treat her like something I would scrape off my boots. What kind of mother does that make me? I didn't even recognize my own child." Her tears turned to bitter accusations as she pulled away from Phil's embrace.

"Well, in your defense, she had changed a bit." He smiled in an attempt to diffuse her self loathing.

"You did." She sighed.

"I did not realize she was our child May. I did not know until Simmons gave me that report. I swear."

"But you saw something…something I didn't. And even if you saw nothing, you took her in, made her a child of your heart."

"And who was it that pummeled Quinn into raw hamburger? Who was it she idolized and wanted to be just like?" He reminded her.

May took a deep breath and pulled most of her emotions back into check. "I'm sorry, Coulson."

"No need," he grinned as handed her the drink she had put down a few minutes earlier. She took it and drank then held out the glass for a refill. Coulson obliged.

"We need to pull that plug, Phil." May spoke into her glass.

"But we won't," he answered feeling the ache in his head beginning to reawaken.

¹Pleasantville, New Line Cinema (1998) (USA) (theatrical)

²My sweet baby, I am so sorry.


	18. Chapter 18 - I Only Blinked My Eyes

**Chapter 18**

 **I Only Blinked My Eyes**

Skye was awake but refused to open her eyes, refused because she did not want to see what wasn't there. She knew she wasn't in her bedroom. It didn't smell the same. It didn't smell at all. She couldn't smell the fabric softener mommy used on her sheets and blankets. She couldn't smell that lingering scent of daddy's cologne or mommy's perfume. Ling-a-ling always smelled like a combination of both because both parents would hug the little dog before giving it to her at bedtime. It was sort of a routine traditiony thing they did. She didn't reach for Ling-a-ling. She knew he wouldn't be there.

It didn't sound like her room or her house. Even if mommy and daddy had gone to work she would still hear Yeye puttsing around downstairs doing whatever it was he did before she swooped down on him. She couldn't hear her little clock ticking or the sounds of the wind or kids outside in the fresh snow. She couldn't hear any of the sounds her house made. Daddy told her it was just the house settling and she thought that was funny, like a big lady snuggling into a comfy chair. Houses did make noise. They clicked and buzzed and hummed, but here…here it was too quiet. It was that itchy kind of quiet. No it wasn't quiet, it was silent. Skye didn't like the sound of silence.

She felt the blanket that covered her. It was soft but not like the one on her bed. It was bumpy with little pilly things and the sheets felt stiff like that time she was in the hospital cuz she broke her arm. The pillow under her head wasn't fluffy either. It was hard like the kind in hotel rooms. She stayed in a hotel once when mommy and daddy took her to New York to see a real play on the stage.

Skye tried hard not to move because she didn't want anyone to know she was awake because she knew she was still in that awful place where Daisy lived, where the war happened and everything was gone and people lived under the ground. She took a quick breath…maybe they didn't _live_ there, maybe they were prisoners of the bad guys that burnt everything up and left all the broken pieces everywhere. She wanted to cry but then they'd hear her and they'd come back. Lots of times Daisy was afraid or sad or thinking about stuff Skye didn't really understand, maybe this was why. Skye was very sad and very afraid. She wanted to scream for her mom, but mommy wasn't here…only that lady that looked like her but that was something bad guys did. They made people look like your friends and your family so you would do what they said. Skye saw it in a movie…or maybe Daisy did because the memory was kinda fuzzy.

The little girl tried to be still, tried to keep her eyes shut but she really needed to use the bathroom and that was something she couldn't hide much longer. Slowly, Skye opened one eye then quickly shut it. The light wasn't as bright but the room, this room was just as white as the other. She opened her eyes and took in the space. It was clean, not like Daisy's room all dark and cluttered. There was a picture on one wall that pretended to be a window. It was showing the beach with waves rolling up on the sand kinda like a movie that just kept playing the same picture over and over. There was a couch and a couple chairs and two tables, one little one and the other the kind you sit at to eat or do paperwork, but it was only big enough for one person maybe too if you squished together. Everything was white. There were no colors anywhere, except for the fake window thingie and there were _no_ doors. Skye couldn't figure out how anyone could get in or get out. She sat up slowly and let her very long Daisy-legs reach the floor. Expecting it to be cold she curled up her big people sized toes and was surprised to feel…well, nothing. The floor wasn't cold or hot or even warm, it just was kinda like the room itself. Skye didn't know the word for it but this room didn't let you feel much, no not feel, sense much. It was like everything that could make your senses work wasn't in this room. She didn't like it. It made her feel kinda empty so she pressed her hands down between her knees and sat very still listening to the sound of her own breathing.

There was a soft whoosh that made Skye jump and a door opened in the wall directly in front of her. It was like the honeycomb shaped blocks just came apart and a door appeared. This place had to be run by the bad guys cuz Skye never heard of anything like this place. Then the doctor lady stepped inside. She was carrying a tray and smiling at her like she was really happy about something.

"You're awake," Jemma grinned as she set down the tray on the larger table. "Feeling better, I hope." She sounded real bubbly as she turned toward Skye who merely swallowed hard and stared up at her timidly. Jemma frowned for a second before pointing toward the tray. "I brought you some soup and a few crackers. I wasn't sure what you might want or if you felt like eating, but it might help. You aren't feeling nauseous are you?"

Skye kept her head down and shook so slightly it was almost imperceptible. She hadn't noticed the doctor's accent before. She kinda sounded like the kids in Harry Potter¹. Some of them weren't very nice so this lady…maybe she was one of the bad guys that kept Daisy prisoner here. She swallowed again and kept her eyes to the floor.

Jemma narrowed her brows. She'd never seen Daisy act this way. She was almost subservient. She took a step toward her friend but stopped when Daisy flinched and jerked back as if expecting to be struck. Jemma put her hands in the pockets of her lab coat and smiled again. "Is everything okay…are you feeling alright?"

Skye nodded quickly. She just wanted this lady to go away.

"Fitz is probably going to agree to a full work-up. I know we just did one last week, but after your reaction this morning everyone is a bit worried. I think it can wait until you feel a bit more like yourself, so how about we start in the morning?" Jemma informed Daisy.

Skye wasn't sure what all that meant and she really needed to get to a rest room. She squirmed a little, struggling to hold on to her resolve. She didn't answer the doctor's question because she wasn't really sure what the right answer could be.

Jemma waited for a response then drew a breath and sighed at the uncomfortable silence. "Okay, well I…I guess you don't feel much like talking yet so I'm just going to go give the director my report. I'm sure he'll be down to see you in just a bit. Do you need anything before I leave?"

"I hafta go the bathroom." Skye mumbled, not picking up her head.

"I'm sorry," Jemma cocked her head a bit. "I can't really hear you."

Skye looked up over her brows and bit her bottom lip. She spoke just a bit louder. "I…I need a go the bathroom."

Jemma frowned a bit, confused by Daisy's demeanor and her language. Daisy looked as if she were about to cry. "Okay, well…then…" Jemma hesitated a bit then shrugged her shoulders. Was her friend asking permission? "Okay, you may go."

Skye didn't move, just shook her head a little and bit back her tears. "I can't." She breathed in an almost sob.

"Can't?" Now Jemma was worried, _that_ would be a bizarre development.

"I don't know where it is." Skye's voice shook with anxiety still refusing to meet Jemma's gaze.

Jemma's eyebrows shot up as she finally understood. "You don't…" She hurried past Daisy, keeping a safe distance. Skye followed her movement until she reached the opposite side of the room and pressed a small panel in the honeycomb covered wall. A door swooshed open revealing an equally white bathroom.

Jemma quickly moved back to where she originally stood. "There you go." She held out a hand toward the small lavatory.

"Thank you," Skye whispered remembering her manners despite her fears. She stayed seated, looking at the floor. She was not going to move until this lady was gone. If she didn't make it, she didn't want an audience, especially if it was a bad guy…girl…lady…person. Skye just wanted her to go. She bounced her feet a little trying to help her bladder hold its contents just a little longer.

"Okay…" Jemma wrinkled her brow as the girl continued looking at the floor. "You…you're welcome. You do what you need to and please eat something. I will speak to the director and like I said he will be in to visit with you. I think for the time being you should stay here." The doctor spoke as she inched toward the exit.

Skye waited until the she heard the door whoosh shut and the funny blowing sound of the lock before leaping up and racing into the bathroom. The door to that room shut behind her automatically and in her need she barely thought about how she'd open it to get back out. As Skye washed her hands she wondered why there was no mirror. All bathrooms had mirrors, didn't they? Not this one, in fact there were no mirrors anywhere, not even anything that gave a reflection even the faucets and fixtures were a dull gray rather than shiny silver like at home. There were no towels just one of those blowers that dry your hands if you hold them under it long enough. Skye rubbed her hands dry on Daisy's PJ pants.

There was a shower and Skye wondered how you would dry your body without towels before she recognized four large blower nozzle things on the wall and scrunched up her nose at using _that_ to dry off your whole body. She stopped and stared at the door. There was no door knob, no lever or switch. How was she going to get out? She took a small step forward intending to search the wall for a little panel like the doctor lady had used to open it from the other side but as soon as she reached out the door just opened all by itself.

Skye stepped back into the big white room. It was a lot easier to explore when she was more comfortable. She pulled up the bottom hem of the large T-shirt she wore and wiped her eyes and nose. She could smell the chicken soup and suddenly realized she was pretty hungry. It seemed like a very long time ago that she ate those pancakes Yeye had made. She shuffled over to the table and leaned down to sniff it a bit closer. It didn't look or smell like the kind her grandfather made, nope it looked more like the kind they had in the cafeteria at school, the kind with the mushy noodles. She picked up the spoon and took a small taste. It wasn't bad but it wasn't really good so she decided to try the crackers instead. She picked up one and took a bite, snapping it in half and catching it before it hit the floor.

She chewed quickly and swallowed then stopped, squeezed her eyes shut and thought a loud think-yell to Daisy. She opened her eyes and waited for her big-self to answer, to make some funny remark or be ticked off about her using her body again without asking. Nothing, just empty blackness…quiet empty blackness. She think-yelled again, _"DAMN!"_ as loud as she could. Daisy always snipped at her for that, telling her not to say it. She smiled waiting for the pseudo-admonishment that did not come.

Daisy was really gone and Skye was stuck in this big people body. She thought about that movie where the kid wished he was big and then it happened and he had to move out of his house and he didn't really like it and she felt exactly the same way. Skye really never wished to be a grown up, she was okay being a kid besides she always had Daisy until now…when she really needed her.

xx

Daisy woke, alone in her bed…well, Skye's bed. She sat up quickly and threw her legs over the edge of the mattress almost falling to the floor. She'd forgotten her legs were a lot shorter. Hurrying to the window, she looked outside. It was still winter and the snow still looked fairly fresh. She breathed a sigh of relief as she looked down at the clothing she still wore, pretty comfy jeans and a purple sweatshirt with some kind of crazy design on the front. It was definitely the one Skye threw on before this whole mess started. That meant it was still the same day. Fitz's program had not jumped them ahead in time.

Daisy thought for a moment about that…about the program. She was under the impression that Fitz just turned it off and on when they were or weren't using it, kinda like a rather advanced video game. Apparently, he'd rigged it to run in the background even if the computers were powered down and that meant that somewhere he had something running, even if it were only in sleep mode. That increased her chances of being able to somehow hack into…or was it out of…this reality into his strings of code. She'd have to be careful not to make any changes, subtle enough not to alert anyone here and smart enough to get Fitz's attention. If she didn't play it just right he might think it was just a glitch and erase her efforts or send a damn virus scanner after her. She pictured herself racing around the house with some sharp-toothed chomping Pac-Man² monster chasing her.

She looked down at her bare feet and remembered that grandmother not being very impressed by her lack of footwear. Daisy scanned the room and spotted a pair of sneakers, one under the desk chair and the other behind the door. She grabbed both and debated over which drawer might hold the socks. Oh well, she'd just have to look she shrugged as she pulled open the first and smiled at the neat stacks of actually _folded_ underwear.

"Come on, May, who the hell folds their underwear?" She spoke softly as she chuckled to herself.

"Looking for something?" Melinda's voice caused her to jump as she closed the first drawer and started to open the next.

"Shi…" She started, hoping Skye's mother hadn't heard her slightly off color remark. She closed the drawer and turned her back to the dresser realizing a second too late how guilty that made her look. "Shhhhoessss and socks…I…I…" she swallowed and hoped the sweat she felt on her brow was not as visible as it felt. "I…c-can't find my s-socks." She stammered.

Melinda furrowed her brow and gave a quizzical scowl as she walked across the room, opened the small drawer in the night stand and pulled out a pair of white crews. She held them between two fingers, swinging them ever so slightly. "These socks?" She inquired. "The ones in the drawer where your socks have been kept since you were about two?"

Daisy shrugged Skye's shoulders. "I guess I forgot." Yeah, that was a great comeback. What am I a ten year old with short term memory loss? Geez, she's gonna think I'm losing it. "I was…was thinking of rearranging things and forgot if I did it yet." Daisy mentally rolled her eyes because that did not sound much better.

Melinda stared at her daughter for a second before she tossed the socks her way. Daisy caught them easily and backed up to the desk chair as the woman approached. She sat down quickly and pulled her left foot into her lap then pulled on one sock. She smiled up at Melinda who continued to eye her suspiciously.

Before Daisy could back away, Melinda put a hand to the girl's forehead then bent down and pressed her lips to the same spot. "Are you sure you feel alright? Maybe we should take your temperature. I think you might be coming down with something. You always get a little funny before you get feverish."

Daisy dropped her one sock covered foot to the floor. "NO!" She protested a bit too strongly as she jumped up putting both hands out in front of her. "No, no I'm fine…" she spoke softer and slower. "I'm fine, mom…mommy, I'm fine. I feel a _lot_ better after that little nap. Don't you?" She smiled at the woman that was not her May.

Melinda eyed the girl for a few seconds then shook her head. "I don't know, nǚ yīng, I think I'd feel better if we checked just to be sure." She was already on her way out the door, probably off to the medicine cabinet to procure her little instrument of mortifying torture.

Daisy yanked the other sock on her foot and shoved her feet into Skye's sneakers. She'd tie them once she escaped to the safety of the kitchen…downstairs…far away. She made it as far as the door before Melinda rounded the door frame and caught her by the upper arm. "Okay, baobei, one, two, three and we're done." She directed Daisy toward the bed, but the girl dug her feet into the carpet in protest.

"No…no, mom…mommy, really, I'm fine…I'm not sick, really." Daisy was trying very hard not to use the skills May had taught her for escaping such a situation. _That_ would bring on a whole new set of problems but she was definitely _not_ submitting to that wicked procedure again, not in this lifetime.

Melinda set her implement of torment on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed. She pulled Daisy in front of her and reached for the snap on her jeans which the girl immediately covered with both hands. Before either of them could react, Phil's calm voice distracted them.

"Dinner's ready," he smiled from the doorway, "just waiting for you."

"C-C…Daddy!" Daisy's little Skye voice rejoiced as she pulled quickly away from Melinda and raced to wrap herself around him. She actually leapt into his arms throwing both of hers around his neck and holding on for dear life. "Daddy," she was almost breathless.

"What's going on?" He looked past the little girl in his arms to his wife who still sat on the bed.

"Tell her I'm fine, Daddy," Daisy pleaded through her little-kid's whiny voice. "Please tell her, I'm not sick. I'm fine." She hadn't planned on but she could feel the stinging tears starting to form and one leaked down her cheek.

"Mel?" Phil inquired with one word.

"I just want to be sure, that's all." She shook her head. "Five minutes and we'll be down."

Daisy tightened her grip and shook her head. Phil turned and brushed his lips across her brow then shook his head. "She's fine, Mel, cool as a veritable cucumber." He smiled.

"She's not acting fine." Melinda disagreed as she approached the father and daughter front. "She's still a little off, Phil. I'm worried. You know how fast she spikes a fever. Remember last year with that flu, damn it Phil she was almost one-o-six and it happened just like that." She snapped her fingers for emphasis.

"Right," he agreed. "And she'd been sick for hours before, but she's fine now, Mel." Phil almost laughed. She knew Melinda was worried and sometimes that worry set off all of her panic alarms. Skye had, on more that one occasion, run a high temperature that sent them off to the ER, but he was absolutely sure this was not one of them.

Melinda slid her hand under the little girl's sweatshirt and rubbed it around her back. Daisy almost lost her grip at the cold touch and the fact that the light touch really tickled. She didn't remember being so ticklish.

Phil stared down at his partner's uncertainty. She took a deep breath. She trusted Phil, trusted his judgment. She pulled her hand from beneath Skye's shirt and used both to straighten it then patted the little girl's back.

"Come on, your mom and dad have everything ready and they're actually being nice to each other." Phil grinned as he slid Skye to her feet. She leaned back against him reaching up to grasp the hands that held her in front of him.

Daisy swallowed hard and gave the most pitiful look she could muster up at her Melinda-mother. Melinda cocked her head a bit and smiled at the little girl before bending down and taking her face in her hands then kissing her on the forehead. She held that little face while she spoke, forcing Daisy to look her in the eye.

"Okay," she smiled and almost laughed as Skye's frown turned immediately upside-down. "But," Skye's frown returned. "I plan on making absolutely sure before bedtime tonight." She finished with a light tap to Skye's nose that caused the girl to blink and lean farther back into Phil's protective embrace.

"Great!" Phil slapped his hands together and rubbed them back and forth. Daisy did not think it was so great and decided she would definitely fall asleep downstairs long before Melinda armed herself with that nasty piece of medical persecution. "That turkey looks and smells," Phil kissed his fingers and flung them upward, "like a gift from the gods."

Melinda shook her head. "Come on, Zeus. My mother has no patience for coming late to the table." She stepped around him into the hall, taking Skye by the hand as she passed.

"I've always thought of myself more of an Apollo," Phil grinned as he snuck around them and hurried down the stairs. Daisy could not help giggle at his antics as she wriggled free of Melinda's grasp and joined in the race to the kitchen.

Melinda rolled her eyes and followed her family to Christmas dinner.

xx

Jemma walked slowly into the lab, clearly deep in thought. She stepped to one of the workstations and laid her hands on it, staring blankly at the blipping screen in front of her. Fitz was just as distracted in his work, rolling his chair around her as he checked the screen while nibbling the pencil he held between his teeth. It seemed neither realized the other was there.

"Something's _wrong_ with Daisy." Jemma stated as if thinking out loud.

Fitz took the pencil from his mouth and flicked a few pages on the screen, answering without ceasing his work. "Naw, just her usual readjustment period."

"No, Fitz. It's different this time, something's wrong." Jemma turned and spoke to him directly.

Fitz looked at her for a moment then turned back to his screen and again flicked through the virtual pages. "No, no look here, right here." He turned the screen toward her and tapped it with the pencil eraser. "These are her vital statistics throughout the last trip into the program. There is no problem. Everything is normal, Simmons, perfectly normal."

"That only shows her blood pressure and heart rate and other physical measures of her well being." Jemma was losing her patience. "You can't measure her mental capacity or her emotional state. That isn't possible and I'm telling you something isn't right." She threw her arms in the air and spun away from him, pacing away then quickly turning back. "She couldn't even go to the bathroom." She expelled with exasperation.

Fitz merely stared for a moment, speechless. "Well…um, well that," he turned to hide the blush on his cheeks then tapped on his screen again. "That is a much different type problem."

"Oh, Fitz you should have seen her, she couldn't even find it." Jemma sighed. His eyes widened. "If I hadn't touched the spot for her I don't know what might have happened. She was not about to relieve herself without help."

Fitz's pencil fell to the floor as his mouth dropped open. Jemma wrinkled her brow. He swallowed hard and opened his mouth to speak then closed it again and puffed out his cheeks with a long breath.

"It was horrible seeing her like that, Fitz. You should have been there." Jemma sounded emotional herself.

Fitz shook his head and busied himself with his tablet. "No, no I think you probably did what was best…ah...afterall you, you're a d-doctor…" He refused to turn and face his partner.

"She was almost in tears, poor thing. I think she was afraid to ask for my help. She even asked for permission first." Jemma shook her head in sympathy.

Fitz's hand slipped and knocked a stack of files to the floor, followed by several pens and pencils. He flailed his hands trying to catch them then gave up and watched as the items scattered across the floor.

Jemma bent to help pick up the mess. "Fitz, what's the matter with you. You're barely listening."

He stood and let out a long breath. "You're telling me this…this…what…you…and I…don't need to know all that touchy kind of doctor thing…and…and what the hell, Jemma?"

The young doctor stood and smacked the files she held on the counter. She was trying to explain their friend's condition to him and…and… "Fitz!" Jemma exclaimed pushing his shoulder in a kind-hearted Simmons-type punch. "I had to show her where the bathroom was. She did not know where the _bathroom_ was…she was…confused." She explained further. He raised his brows and let out a breath. "Did you…did you really think…did you think that I…that we?" She pushed him a tiny bit harder.

"What did you expect me to think with all that…that…what you said?" Fitz defended himself massaging his shoulder and furrowing his brow.

Jemma tried to look angry but put a hand over her mouth in an attempt to hold back the laugh that escaped. He looked at her for a moment before joining in the mirth and both had a good chuckle over the crazy mixed up conversation.

After a few minutes Jemma collected herself and started again. "Seriously, Fitz something is not right. Daisy isn't herself. It's almost like she's been sucked out and replaced by someone meek and timid. You know as well as I do that those are two terms no one would ever use to describe our Daisy." She shook her head and Fitz nodded in agreement.

"I want to run a full series of tests on her in the morning, but I'm afraid they won't show anything. Fitz, if this program, this framework has done something to her mind, I don't know how to help her. I don't know how anyone can." Jemma continued.

Fitz held up both hands and placed them on her shoulders in an effort to calm her. "I'm sure it isn't that serious, Jemma. She's reacted strangely every time she came out of it right from the very beginning. Remember the milk and being so hungry and then when she only spoke Mandarin? She's always come around. It's probably taking a bit longer because she's, well that is her child counterpart is a bit older now."

Jemma shook her head. "It's not the same, Fitz. I'm afraid for her. _She's_ afraid. She barely spoke above a whisper, acted like she didn't even know me or I was about to cause her harm."

Fitz pinched the bridge of his nose and tapped his foot rapidly then blew out a breath.

"Do you think it is because she put herself into the program? Do you think she may have caused some sort of blip or glitch that altered her personality in some way?" Jemma wondered.

"Jemma, I've checked several times and ran numerous diagnostics. There is not a thing outside of normal parameters with that program." Fitz held out his hands to emphasize his point.

Jemma pursed her lips in a small smile as she placed a gentle hand on his arm. "What part of sending someone to relive a past they never had in the first place is normal? Maybe it's the program itself, Fitz, maybe that is what's causing it."

He started to answer then looked away. He needed to make everything up to Skye. He'd been ready to kill her…no, to watch as those who followed his orders beat her to death. He would have done nothing to stop them. It ate at him every minute of every day. Every time he closed his eyes he saw her sitting there on the floor in front of him, beaten and bloody. He remembered sneering at her when she said he didn't want to do this. But he did…he did want to hurt her. He wanted to see her suffer. He hated himself for it, even though he knew with every fiber of his being that it was not real, that it was AIDA controlling his avatar in some warped version of reality. But he helped create…no improved that cyborg, that thing that wanted to destroy them all but keep him for herself. He needed to give something back, to redeem his immoral actions, giving this girl her parents, her life, her memories was the means he had to do so.

Fitz loved Jemma with all his heart. He could not imagine any lifetime, any reality without her and yet he had almost killed her as well. If Radcliffe hadn't cold cocked him, he would have pulled that trigger and ended her without a second thought. If Daisy hadn't hacked her way into that Framework, that Hellwork of AIDA's, if she hadn't figured out that back door…he would have killed his one love. He owed her for that as well. If it wasn't for Daisy, for her selfless actions they would all be dead or worse, trapped in that fifth circle of hell for eternity.

He laid his hand on top of hers, unable to meet her eyes. "Jemma, Daisy _needs_ to do this. _I_ need to do this for her. I promise you I would nev… _will_ not, will not hurt her. I will run more diagnostics. I will keep her safe, I promise."

Jemma let out a slow breath. She knew he would never intentionally hurt Daisy and whatever happened in that horrid place that AI unit created was something none of them would discuss, not Fitz or Daisy or May. She and Coulson had no idea of the torment he and May had put the girl through. As far as Fitz was concerned Daisy was like a kid sister, one he needed to protect and tease and stand up for whenever she needed him. He'd made that clear when he covered for her after Puerto Rico, when he kept her secret from everyone hoping to 'fix' her before the rest found out. She'd been livid at the both of them, but understood as well.

And now…now he wanted to give her the childhood that monster Jiaying and crazy Cal had stolen from her. He needed to see her happy, loved, and wanted. She could not fault him for that.

Nodding, Jemma turned her hand and squeezed his. "Okay, Fitz…for now, but she does not go anywhere near that program, does not even set foot in that Cage until I say so, until she passes every test I can perform and," she held up a finger to stop him before he protested. "And we find a psychologist, a _reliable_ psychologist to evaluate her as well."

Fitz thought for a moment, looking at her small hand wrapped around his and wondering how she could still stand to so much as touch him. He nodded quickly and slipped his hand free, massaging his palm with the thumb of the other hand. It was a habit, a habit he'd developed as a result of hypoxia. It was a hard habit to break.

"And one more thing," she grabbed his arm before he could escape back to his gadgets. He looked at her, asking the question nonverbally. "You come with me and _talk_ to her, really talk to her."

Fitz closed his eyes and breathed deeply before nodding once.

¹Harry Potty and the Sorcerer's Stone, Warner Brothers Studios, 2001, motion picture

²Pac-Man, arcade/video game, Namco, Atari, Interactive Brains, Namco Networks, 1980


	19. Chapter 19 - Sugar and Spice

**Chapter 19**

 **Sugar and Spice**

"She's still a little wanky." Coulson shook his head looking at the paper in his hand before dropping it on the table in the makeshift office and headed toward the door.

"Wanky?" May cast him a sidelong glance, "is that even a word?"

Coulson shrugged, "fits." May nodded as they approached the room that held their 'wanky' daughter.

Coulson looked up at the monitor next to the door before entering. Daisy sat on the bed with her back against the wall, her arms wrapped around her knees drawn up to her chest. She rested her cheek on her knees and stared blankly at the floor next to the bed. He raised his brows and let out a breath through his nose. May pressed her hand against the pad to unlock the door.

Skye looked up at the sound, smiling when she recognized her father. She slid from the small bed and hurried toward him. "Daddy," she breathed as she wrapped her arms around him and immediately hated her big size as she no longer fit in his arms. She breathed in his cologne and listened to his heart beat under her ear.

Coulson hesitated for a moment throwing May a concerned but confused glance, then gently put his arms around her. "Hey, how ya doin'? Feelin' better?" He felt her shake her head.

May stepped silently around them and peered into the still full bowl of soup. She flicked the one crumbled cracker and made a mental note of the number of them left on the plate. She turned to Coulson and shook her head. The girl had eaten nothing.

"You need to eat something, kiddo." He spoke softly to her, keeping his voice as calm as he could.

May shook her head as she folded her hands in front of her. They needed to talk and all he could do was coddle her. This wasn't helping anything.

"M' not hungry," Skye mumbled into Coulson's jacket. "I don't like it here." She whispered.

Coulson smiled and rubbed his hand on her back. "I know, but this is the safest place for you right now. I think you know that. It's just until you're back to yourself. Maybe we should _all_ have something to eat. How 'bout we order from Tin Tin's?"

Skye didn't answer. She didn't know that place but she was sure this was her father. He smelled right and he talked to her like he always did, only his hug felt different…kinda like he didn't really mean it or maybe he was afraid to hold her too tight. He said she needed to stay here until she was herself again. She didn't know how to get herself back without Daisy's help and she didn't know how to find her. She didn't like this big clumsy body that she couldn't work. She wanted to be herself…needed to be herself but how?

Trying to gently push Daisy back to look in her face was almost impossible. She was holding on with almost a death grip. Phil could feel her tremble, thankful that the room would absorb most if not all of her power should she lose control. "Everything's going to be okay, Daisy." He attempted to diffuse her anxiety. "You probably just need to eat something and get a good night's sleep."

Skye froze stiff and looked up at her father's chin. _Daisy?_ Why would he call her that? Did daddy know about Daisy? Mommy wanted to talk to Daisy. Did they both know? How did they know? Why didn't they ever tell her about Daisy? How long did they know? She pushed herself back very slowly and looked at Coulson. He was smiling daddy's smile at her. How did he get here, anyway? Did he come to find her, to rescue her? He couldn't be a prisoner because he just walked right in. There were no guards. Only that mean lady. Maybe…maybe it was mommy and they did something to her to make her mean.

"We need to talk." May spoke through clenched teeth, clearly not yet over the unresolved issue of Daisy slipping into the framework on her own.

Skye jumped, immediately wrapping her arms back around Coulson. She didn't care how he got there, but she was glad he did so she closed her eyes and pressed her face into his neck. He looked over her head at May and wrinkled his brow in confusion. She shook her head again, growing very tired of this insanity. Coulson leaned close to Daisy's ear hoping to whisper a bit of encouragement but took in a vague scent of strawberry…that strawberry smell that seemed to be a part of little Skye. He took a deep breath and confirmed it, Daisy smelled of Skye's shampoo. He never noticed it before…well, he rarely, if ever held the girl this close but that scent was powerful especially right after Melinda shampooed their little girl's hair.

"Enough, Daisy," May warned as she stepped forward and took the girl by the arm. "We are not done discussing your asinine stunt this morning." She spun the girl toward her expecting her student to easily defend herself.

"No, no, daddy please, don't let her hurt me…" Skye reached back for Coulson, cringing as May opened her mouth to continue her tirade.

"May," Coulson held up a hand as he realized the girl was, in fact, terrified.

Letting out a fluttery breath, May exhaled a huffed breath and let the girl slip to the floor where she rolled herself into a ball and sobbed into her hands that covered her face. "This," she pointed at the girl but spoke to Coulson, "this is what happens when you mess with the way things are supposed to be. We need to unplug that damn machine and destroy every bit of whatever Fitz has left of it." She turned and threw her arms in the air. "I should just go next door and take care of it myself."

"Wait a minute, May," Coulson remained calm. "Let's not go that route just yet. Maybe you're right, maybe this wasn't such a great plan, but I think we might be dealing with a little more than just a glitch." He squatted down next to Daisy and reached for her hand.

"If she didn't go throwing herself into that mess without some sort of backup, we wouldn't be in this damn mess." May continued, causing Daisy to cry harder. "Enough, Daisy, pull yourself together, now!"

Coulson looked up from his position on the floor. "Take it easy, May, I don't we're dealing with Daisy."

"What?" May wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly. "What do you mean we aren't dealing with Daisy? She's right in front of you, in some crazy state of Fitz program hangover, but _that_ is Daisy. I don't know what the hell is wrong with her but that _is_ her."

Coulson shook his head and rested his hand gently on the girl's shoulder, patting softly. "No, May, I don't think it is, not right now."

"Are you telling me that she thinks she's…" May narrowed her gaze in disbelief. Coulson held up a hand to stop her from continuing.

"Skye?" Coulson almost crooned to the hysterical girl. "Skye, sweetie, how 'bout you get up off the floor? Come on, the bed is a lot more comfortable." He slid his hand under her arm and helped her to stand then led her to the bed. Daisy dropped onto the mattress and curled back into a tight ball.

"Oh, this is great, just great." May growled. "We've got the most powerful inhuman in existence and she thinks she's a ten year old. This just keeps getting better and better. All the more reason to take a sledge hammer to that beast in the next room."

Skye listened to the lady that looked and sounded like her mother rant and rave. Beast? There was a monster, too. It was in the room next to this one. What was an inhuman? Was _it_ the monster? She cried harder. Coulson sat next to her on the bed and tugged her up into his embrace, attempting once again to calm her.

"May, relax, you're scaring her." He appealed to his partner as he rubbed a hand on the girl's back and held her head to his chest.

"Scaring her? _Scaring_ her?" May almost laughed. "What I should do is kick her ass after that stupid stunt. Look where it got her. Where the hell is Fitz? He needs to fix this right now." She paced back and forth as she spoke, unsure of what exactly was fueling her anger. The fact that she had not prevented this fiasco and protected her child was certainly part of it.

Skye cringed further into Coulson's embrace. She'd never heard her mother talk like that or sound that angry. This lady was not mommy, she was a…a…clone, yeah that was the word. The bad guys took her mother and made another one, a mean one…one that didn't care one bit about her.

"Maybe we ought to have Simmons give her another sedative." Coulson suggested quietly, ignoring May's comments.

Skye quickly pulled back and looked up at Coulson. She shook her head and rubbed her arm across her nose. "No, daddy, no shots, no more shots. I'll be good. I'll stop. I will. I won't cry anymore." She was difficult to understand as she spoke rapidly through sobs, hiccoughs and sniffles.

May grabbed the bottled water from the table and a box of Kleenex them moved to stand next to the bed. She held the bottle out to the girl who merely stared at it. "Take a drink, it'll help." Skye looked at the bottle for a second. She considered refusing Melinda's offer but the look on the woman's face made her understand she did not have a choice. She took the bottle and held it. May held out the tissue box and jerked her head toward it. Skye pulled a few and wiped her eyes then blew her nose and crumpled the tissue into her palm. She swallowed hard then used the wad of tissues to quickly swipe at the tears that rolled over her cheek again.

"Okay, we're gonna get Simmons in here…" Coulson started. Skye opened her mouth to protest but stopped when he gently place a finger on her lips. "Just to make sure you're okay, just a little check, nothing else. I promise." He smiled at the girl who really didn't look like she believed him. "Cross my heart, sweet pickle."

Skye smiled for the first time, "I'm not a pickle." She whispered softly, then rested her head back on Coulson's chest. He paused for a moment. She replied that token reply the little girl had always used. How would Daisy even know that? Did she remember something so small? He looked deep into the tear pooled eyes that stared into his. Could…no, that wasn't possible. He shook his head and tapped his com, ordering the young doctor to the room.

Five minutes later Simmons entered the room with the swoosh of the door opening. Fitz followed close behind. She carried a large black bag that immediately put Skye on guard. Nothing good ever came out of those bags.

"Sir?" Simmons queried as she noticed him seated with Daisy practically in his lap.

"It's a long story," Coulson shrugged.

"More like a fairy tale," May griped.

Coulson looked down at the girl trembling against his chest. He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. "Sweetie," he spoke in a hushed tone close to her ear. "I have to talk with the doctors for a minute. You stay here with mo…" He looked up at May who sucked up one side of her face in disgust. "With May, just for a couple minutes." Skye was already shaking her head, clutching his jacket in desperation. "I promise I will be right over there." He pointed toward the door. "You'll be able to see me the whole time."

"No, daddy, no…don't leave me with her. She doesn't like me. I'm scared of her, please daddy." Skye was crying again, terrified that her father would be taken away by these doctor people and she'd be left with the mommy-monster.

May's heart clenched, though her expression never changed. This girl…Daisy or Skye or some crazy combination of both of them was terrified of her…convinced that she hated her…wanted nothing to do with her. She drew a deep shuddery breath and worked to push down her anger to keep it contained until it was needed. It wasn't working. The part of her heart that needed her daughter's love that needed to love the girl back was damaged and she was using the anger it caused to cause more. Anger was a mighty shield, it masked hurt and it masked fear but it was a very heavy defense to wield. Melinda May was an expert at masking what she felt were her weaker emotions. But this was her kid and it didn't matter who this kid thought she was right now, she was still _her_ kid and instead of trying to help she was ready to knock her into next week. She'd had enough. She'd done enough damage. She'd hurt Daisy enough. Without saying a word, May turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.

Simmons watched the woman stomp past her and moved to follow but Coulson held up a hand and shook his head. He knew that look and right now, Melinda May need to be alone. She needed space and he suspected she would also need to take out some penned up aggression on their one and only punching bag. Jemma nodded back, understanding immediately. She stood next to Fitz waiting for him to make the next move.

"Okay," Coulson rubbed his hand on the sobbing girl's back. "How 'bout you go into the bathroom and wash up a bit? A little cool water might help you feel a little better. What do you think?"

Skye peeked at the two young doctors standing across the room then back at Coulson. "No shots, daddy, no shots," she whispered.

"I can't promise that, sweetie," Phil shrugged his shoulders. "But I promise I will stay right here with you no matter what, okay."

Skye pulled another tissue from the box in her lap, wiped her nose and nodded. She slowly released Coulson from her tenacious hug. He stood first, offered her his hand and helped her to her feet. She leaned close to him and whispered in his ear. "I don't know how to open the door." He smiled, nodded and walked her to the release pad. He placed her hand on it. Skye smiled a weak smile as it opened. She stepped inside and the door closed behind her.

Coulson let out a long slow breath, leaning forward with his hands on his knees then turned to face the two very confused scientists who had been watching the scene play out in front of them. He walked slowly across the room and stood in front of them for a moment before beginning.

"This is…" he shrugged his shoulders and held out his palms then slapped them back against his thighs. "I don't know what this is."

"What was all that?" Simmons was clearly flabbergasted. "It's like she's…she's a child."

Coulson turned and stared at the bathroom door. He pursed his lips and shook his head. "A ten year old to be exact," he added. "I'm pretty sure she thinks she's Skye."

Simmons' eyebrows rose in surprise. "Well, that is an interesting development."

"It's not unusual for Daisy to be a little slow to re-acclimate after coming out of the program. We've discussed this at length." Fitz sighed in frustration. He was tired of this argument.

"Fitz, it's been almost eight hours since you ended the last session. Daisy's never taken more than an hour to get over whatever you want to call this syndrome. This is highly unusual, Fitz." Simmons reasoned.

"Beside that, she's terrified." Coulson continued. "Nothing is familiar to her. I don't even think she knows who _you_ are and she's convinced May is some look-alike imposter who's taken control of her mother."

Jemma looked to the exit door. "That would explain May's hasty departure. She must be desolate, thinking Daisy would reject her." She shook her head in sympathy for the woman.

"I'll deal with May. I need you two to figure this out and _fix_ it." Coulson informed the scientists. "Simmons I want you to check her out, head to toe. Make sure everything is…working." He ordered then considered. "And not shots…if you can help it." He turned to Fitz, who stood with his arms across his chest more than ready to defend himself and his program. "I need you to go back and check all the data from the time Daisy put herself into that program until you brought us out."

"I've already done…" Fitz shook his head as he began.

"Then do it again and again and _again_ , until you find something… _anything_ that might explain what the _hell_ is going on." Coulson wasn't yelling, but the calm timbre in his voice was demanding. Fitz nodded, turned and stormed out of the room.

The bathroom door opened at the same time. Skye walked slowly into the room. She'd stopped crying. The hair around her face was wet as was the front of her T-shirt. Coulson hurried to meet her, taking her hand and leading her back to sit on the edge of the bed. Jemma pulled a blood pressure cuff from her bag and moved toward the girl. Coulson held up a hand.

"Skye, this is Jemma." He smiled at the young doctor. "She's a very good friend of Daisy."

Skye eyed Simmons warily. She was not fooled by the woman's smile or friendly demeanor, but she struggled to remain calm.

"Jemma is a doctor, Skye." Coulson waited for the girl's reaction, which came in a tiny nod. "She's going to check your heart and your breathing and…" He looked up at Simmons who continued to smile. "And a few other things, okay?"

"No shots," Skye mumbled into her collar, refusing to look up at Simmons.

"Well, sweetheart, I have to take a little bit of blood so we can test it to make sure you have nothing that's making you ill." Simmons explained.

"Does it hurt?" Skye asked in a tiny kid's voice, only it was really Daisy's voice and Daisy wouldn't be afraid.

Simmons looked at Coulson and took a short breath. "There will be a little pinch, but then it's done."

Skye chewed her lip. That's what they always said, 'a little pinch', but it was always a big pinch and it always really hurt a lot. Then she thought about Daisy and looked up at Simmons for the first time. "Is Daisy afraid of shots?"

Simmons couldn't help the laugh that escaped. "Oh, no she's not _afraid_ of them. Daisy _hates_ shots, all shots. Once I had to chase her all over the base just to make sure she had a booster before she went on a mission." Simmons laughed again realizing she was talking _to_ Daisy _about_ Daisy, but maybe it would help.

Skye giggled a little, picturing her big friend trying to escape this little doctor. She scrunched up her shoulders and put her hand over her mouth. "Was it a butt shot?" She giggled harder, not even noticing Simmons had slipped the BP cuff on her arm and was pumping it tightly.

Coulson smiled at the girl finally relaxing at bit. He'd stay with her until things got…well, got a little personal, then he'd quietly excuse himself and search for May. She might be a tiny bit calmer by that time.

xx

Daisy shoveled down two helpings of mashed potatoes with gravy, a large portion of sweet potatoes, three rolls, three slices of turkey and a mound of stuffing before pushing her plate away. She figured if she ate enough not-May would see she was not sick, just hungry. There was chocolate lasagna for dessert and dozens of fancy cookies that Skye and Yeye had spent the last two weeks baking and decorating. Grandmother set a large pie on the table that she figured was lemon meringue. She'd never tasted it but she'd seen pictures. Daisy debated on wolfing down one of the desserts and risking a fast trip to the powder room to 'toss her cookies'. Yeah, that'd be great, just an invitation for Melinda to stick that thing where the sun doesn't shine, probably right there on the spot. Nope, _not_ happening. She patted her tummy and shook her head.

"I don't think I have room for anymore, Yeye. I have to wait a little while and make some room." She thought for a moment then smiled. "Maybe I can use my new laptop to help me pass the time." She raised her eyebrows, smiled and nodded at her parents.

Melinda set down her fork, took a sip of her tea and wiped her mouth with one of the fancy napkins they were using. "Absolutely not, young lady, not after your behavior this afternoon," Melinda shook her head. "It will be a while before you and that laptop get acquainted."

Daisy sat back on her chair with a giant pout. " _How_ long?" She exhaled with a sigh as she narrowed her brows and slammed her arms across her chest. May was being ridiculous. She hadn't done anything…well anything that bad and hell, it was Christmas. Where was her Christmas spirit? She swung her feet back and forth under the table being sure to hit the chair with each swing.

Lian cleared her throat very quietly, then sipped her tea. William began clearing dishes from the table. Phil reached under the table and placed his hand on his daughter's knee, stilling her swinging legs.

"Hey, how 'bout we crack open that Electronic Arcade¹ set and see what we can come up with. I bet you've got some great ideas." Phil suggested, hoping to diffuse the situation. "Or we can all help clean up and play Uno Attack."

"I really want that laptop," Daisy mumbled under her breath, finding it very hard to contain her Mary Sue persona while locked in Skye's body and already forgetting her promise to herself to be 'good as gold' in order to achieve her objective.

"Tiáozhěng nǐ de tàidù, Skye, fǒuzé huì yǒu yánzhòng de hòuguǒ.²" Melinda warned casually.

Daisy considered a snarky remark then took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, mommy. I just really want to try it out. Pleeeeeezzzz." She threw May her most adorable puppy-dog-eye face.

Melinda looked at her little girl, trying so hard to manipulate the situation and almost gave in, but shook her head and simply replied, "maybe tomorrow."

" _Tomorrow?_ " Daisy almost cried. "I can't wait that long." She dropped back on the chair a second time and let her arms fall limp at her sides. She hung her head over her shoulder and let out a squeaky whine.

"Maybe," Melinda reiterated, "if you can manage to behave that long." She stood and began helping her father to clear the table.

Daisy sprang to her feet and hurried to Phil's side, tugging on his arm. "Daddy, talk to her. Tell her I need to use my laptop. Please, daddy." She tugged harder, preventing him from getting a forkful of lemon pie to his lips.

Phil chuckled as he steadied his good arm and bent close to speak to the little girl. "Sorry, sweetie, mommy's the boss, maybe we can try it out tomorrow."

Pausing for a moment to digest that statement, Daisy continued. "No, no Coulson, you, you're the boss. You get to have the final say, come on, tell her daddy." She tugged his arm again.

Phil set down his fork and took Skye by the arms. "Coulson is it, huh? That's new." He chuckled again and kissed her forehead. "Go play with those new games for your Game Boy Advance **³** thing-a-ma-jig. You've been begging for them for weeks." He turned her toward the living room and sent her off with a soft pat to her backside.

"Traitor," Daisy mumbled as she schlepped toward the parlor. Game Boy Advance? Did he say Game Boy Advance? I got a Game Boy Advance? Daisy smiled despite her frustration. She remembered wanting that stupid game so much she was tempted to steal one from a kid at school. She didn't. The kid would have been devastated and she couldn't do that to him, especially after he let her try it at lunch time. She wished and prayed and hoped but it was for nothing. None of the well meaning parishioners ever donated gifts like that. She even put her request up on that 'Giving Tree' thing that year, but nothing. She never did that again. But, shit! She had a Game Boy Advance. For the moment she forgot about the laptop and dug through the pile of gifts until she found that purple box, tore it open and fished those games out of Skye's stocking. She spent the next hour and a half playing with it.

The rest of the evening was spent playing games, chit chatting about nothing in particular and finally sitting down for a serving of that chocolate delight. Daisy never really experienced family time or what families did on those long dark winter nights but this was kinda cozy. Everyone just relaxing, not really concerned with anything except each other. Well, Lian kept asking May if she felt okay and twice insisted she take some kind of pill that made her make the funniest face Daisy had ever seen cross her visage. She giggled the first time and got a glare that probably would have melted the snow on all the walks in the neighborhood. The second time she remembered to hide her face in Phil's jacket to avoid a second dose of Melinda fire.

While the adults spoke quietly over cups of tea or coffee in the kitchen Daisy used the time to once again enjoy the thrill of all the gifts Skye had received. There were more packages on the floor next to the tree than she'd seen at any one time in St. Agnes. All these gifts for just one kid seemed a little much and she wondered if she could convince Skye's parents to make a few donations of their own. Heck, they'd give good gifts and some kid somewhere would be thrilled. She sat for a moment fingering through one of the books Yeye had given her. In addition to that K'nex® there was a set of Hogwarts Castle Legos that caused the girl to let out a low whistle. That had to have put someone back quite a few paychecks. She'd looked at a set in some store window once and the price was well over two hundred dollars. She slid her hand into one of the Ugg® boots and scrunched her fingers in the soft lining. Smiling at the feeling she kicked off the sneakers she wore and pushed her feet into the boots then sat on the floor just staring at them. As a child she didn't even own a pair of boots. If the snow got too high she either got wet feet or was forced to shove her feet into whatever pair of clunky things fit. One day she even traipsed off to school in two different boots. Now she sat and just smiled at the beautiful brown boots that graced her feet. She liked how they felt on her feet and figured she'd just keep them on until bedtime or until one of them told her she couldn't wear them in the house. But they were new and clean and would not make a mess, so maybe she'd just get away with it. There was a snowboard and a skateboard. She wasn't aware she could ski or snow or whatever the term was for using one of those things but she absolutely loved the skateboard. In another box was a new helmet, elbow and knee pads. There was even a new bathing suit which she couldn't imagine what she do with in the middle of winter.

She sat for a moment and listened to the low voices of the people in the kitchen then quietly stood and walked just far enough into the hall to peek into that room. The four adults were engaged in their conversations and none seemed particularly interested in what she might be doing. Heck, she was ten, she didn't need constant supervision. Daisy turned back to the parlor and dropped to her hands and knees peering under the couch just in case they'd put that laptop back in it's original hiding place. No such luck, there wasn't even a lone dust bunny hidden there. She looked behind the couch and under each chair even though she did not expect it would be there. If they'd stowed it in their bedroom she'd have to wait until they went back to work before she could do a good search. Oh shit, what if it was locked in that little computer room of Phil's. She'd never get in there again. The new lock was way beyond her capabilities and she wondered how they'd gotten a fingerprint recognition lock installed in their home…then remembered Fury's visit and figured he had something to do with it.

There was a large closet in the main hallway, very visible from the kitchen. Daisy sat on the parlor floor, with her legs criss crossed and stared at it. She wracked her brain for a way to check it out without causing too much suspicion then cast her legs out in frustration. Once again she smiled at those beautiful boots and tapped the toes together. She kept tapping them as she thought. She couldn't just open the door and look, hell they'd be on to her in a split second. Tap-tap-tap…she let out an annoyed breath then widened her eyes as an idea came to light. The boots! The beautiful brown fuzzy inside boots! That was it! She pulled them off and stood, hugging them tightly. She hated taking them off or giving them up, but getting that laptop was top priority.

Daisy plodded to the closet in her stocking feet and resisted the urge to peek into the kitchen to check on the adults. Nope, that would just make her look like she was up to something. She pulled open the door and smiled at the neat row of shoes lined up on the floor beneath the coats that hung above.

"Skye? What are you looking for?" Melinda's voice almost made her jump, but it did let her know she was definitely looking in the right place.

"Nothing," Daisy answered without turning toward her Melinda-mother's voice. "Just putting my new boots away. She stepped back and looked up at the shelf above the garments. There it was. The box containing the laptop was right there in plain view. They hadn't even covered it or concealed it at all, almost like it was mocking her by being there. Hell, she'd have to look at it every time she pulled out her coat or left the house. What a crappy punishment…bordered on cruel and unusual and set off that vindictive Mary Sue Monster that lived in Daisy but not in Skye. She kept the growl that escaped her as quiet as possible and fought the urge to slam the door and stomp her feet in protest.

'Yeah that'd be great,' Daisy thought to herself as she stood staring up at the box. 'I'm already on borrowed time, one more misstep today and I probably won't sit til New Year's Eve.'

"Skye," Melinda's voice grated on her like fingernails on a blackboard. "Close the door, please. There's nothing you need in there."

Daisy's knuckles turned white as she gripped the doorknob and bit her lip to hold on to the nasty comment threatening to roll over her lips. She took a quiet breath and forced herself to gently close the door. She turned and smiled a very fake smile at Melinda then turned toward the living room.

"Almost nine, baobei," Melinda called out like a 'two minute warning' and Daisy wondered why she would feel the need to give her a time check.

Shrugging her shoulders, Daisy just gave a quick 'okay' and moved back to Skye's loot hoping to open a few of those little trinket kind of treasures. There were a few little pet kind of animals that looked interesting and Yeye had given Skye a set of mahjong tiles that fascinated her. They felt like dominoes but had beautiful Chinese characters and designs etched into them. He had promised to teach her how to set up patterns and teach her to play. Maybe she could get him to show her at least one time tonight. It wasn't even nine o clock, there was plenty of time.

"Skye," Melinda's voice was soft but Daisy jumped a bit as she spoke from behind. "Bath time, baobei, let's go." She held out a hand to the little girl who sat on the floor with the set of tiles in her lap.

"It's not even nine, Ma…om," Daisy protested, looking up at the woman and her offered hand.

Melinda shook her hand a little. "It's been a very long day and you've already had an extra half hour. Come on, I still want to check your temperature."

Daisy pushed herself back as her mouth dropped open. She'd actually forgotten about that threat or figured it had just been forgotten all together. Damn May and her steel trap memory.

"You don't need to help me take a bath, mom. I can do it myself, really. You can just relax and visit with your parents some more and daddy…you and daddy can just relax and feel better. I know you really need the rest and all." Daisy offered hopefully.

"Hmm, mmm," Melinda smiled, still extending that hand. "The last time I fell for that there were towels all over the floor absorbing the water that somehow escaped the shower and you neglected to wash your hair or those grubby fingernails. So, let's go."

There was no escaping. She was cornered. Melinda was blocking her only exit and where the hell would she go anyway. On the bright side….ha, ha, like there was a bright side to any of this…soon everyone would be asleep and she could get to that damn laptop. If this was the price she had to pay, well how bad could it be? Hell, it was just a bath and she couldn't even remember anyone ever helping her with that little task. Someone must have at some point, after all she was a baby once but ever since Daisy could remember she just took care of all that herself. This would certainly be a new experience.

As it turned out it wasn't as bad as she thought, well except for undressing in front of Melinda but hell, she was her mother and she was only ten, there was nothing really to hide. The most surprising thing was the purple bath water. Daisy held her foot frozen midair before stepping into it. Melinda explained that since they'd had such a bad day that a bit of her lavender bath salts would help both of them to relax a bit. It was kinda nice. The water was soft and smelled sweet. Daisy didn't believe in all that homeopathic crap but this stuff smelled great and really did help her feel a little calmer. She lay back in the tub and kinda floated, watching her toes peek in and out of the hot water. Her water that kissed her chin matched the bobbing as the water waved up and down the length of the tub. Melinda sort of wandered in and out doing whatever it was mothers did while their kids bathed themselves. Mostly she just checked on Daisy once in a while, reminding her to wash here or scrub there and to sit up and get busy. Daisy nodded and agreed to do as she was told but just laid there in the purple water enjoying the soak. Heck, dirt would come off anything if you soaked it long enough, wouldn't it?

"Okay, lady time to sit up and get busy," Melinda's voice was soft but firm as she reached below the water and took the girl's hand pulling her to sit up. Daisy grumbled a little and quickly folded her arms over her chest, then remembered there was nothing there to cover. Nope, not one tiny little hint of puberty. Melinda smiled as she grabbed a washcloth and began lathering it up with the soap she'd fished from the water. She pulled a water wrinkled foot from the water and scrubbed softly. Daisy resisted the urge to pull away and slowly relaxed into the routine of Melinda's gentle washing. She spoke to the girl while she worked. laughing about little things and smiling when Daisy replied or remembered something Skye had said or done. It was different than Daisy imagined, it was kinda pleasant. Was this what they called bonding?

She started to feel a little guilty. Since this whole crazy thing began she had referred to Melinda as _Skye's_ mother, forgetting that she was in fact Skye and Skye was her. This was _her_ mother, the mother she'd always wanted…needed. This woman _loved_ her and did all the things a real mother did for her, even got mad and gave her hell when she needed it. She started to feel a lot differently about this Melinda, this mother that was hers and Skye's at the same time.

Melinda lowered the girl back and wet her hair before squirting a dab of strawberry shampoo into her hand and then scrubbing it into Skye's hair. She rubbed it into a full lather then nodded for the girl to do a bit on her own. Daisy reached up and wriggled her fingers in the soft soapy suds. She didn't remember having shoulder length hair as a kid. Her hair was always long and stringy until she was old enough to care to make it look better.

"Mommy," Daisy looked up at Melinda with one eye closed.

"Yes, baobei," Melinda smiled as she wiped the errant suds from the girl's face.

"Could we let my hair grow longer?" Daisy thought Skye might like the change and knew Melinda would not let it be stringy or tangled.

"Hmmmm, maybe a little," Melinda answered as she took over the scrubbing then leaned the girl back to rinse. "When you're a little older and you can help take care of it, you can let it grow as long as you want."

"You'll help me though, right." Daisy was testing.

"Always, bao bao." Melinda smiled again.

Daisy used the washcloth to wipe the last of the suds from her face and eyes then dunked it back in the water. "I'm sorry," she mumbled as she played with the shampoo bubbles than now floated on the surface of the water.

"Sorry?" Melinda tilted her head in wonder as she pulled a large towel from the linen closet next to the tub.

Daisy nodded as she squeezed the water from the washrag with one hand and let it dribble into the other. "Sorry, I was such a stinker today." She shrugged her shoulders as she looked sideways at her mother.

" _Stinker?_ Is that what you're calling it?" Melinda chuckled softly.

Daisy snorted a tiny bit. "Well, if I called it what it really was you might use that soap for more than scrubbing my skin."

Melinda laughed again as she held out the towel and shook it slightly. "You are probably right, my little stinker."

Daisy smiled as she stood and shook the drips off her hands before she stepped on to the bathmat and allowed her mother to wrap her in the large soft towel. Melinda covered the girl from head to toe and gently rubbed the water from her hair and body before lowering the towel to expose her face. She quickly kissed the end of the little girl's nose taking Daisy completely by surprise.

She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. No one had ever been that spontaneous with her, well not in a good way. A weird kinda warmth spread over her and for a split second she understood why Mack didn't want to leave that hellish Framework he'd been trapped in for so long. Melinda sat the girl on the closed toilet lid and gently pulled a brush through her hair then used a blow dryer to be sure it was completely dry. Daisy had gone to bed many times with a wet head which meant a wet pillow which made sleeping very uncomfortable.

Melinda helped her into a pair of crazy pink pajamas that were covered with little snoozing owls. Then she pointed her toward her bedroom while she pulled the plug in the tub and hung up the large towel to dry over the shower curtain rod. Daisy ran into the room and dived onto the bed. She noticed the dreaded thermometer still on the nightstand and quickly opened the small drawer and pushed it in then quietly pushed the drawer closed and slid under the covers.

"Already all tucked in, huh?" Melinda grinned as she entered the room, sat on the bed and snatched Ling-a-ling into a hug. "Guess you don't need me, then." She stood and took a step toward the door.

Daisy peeked at her, having pulled the blankets up to her eyes. She couldn't help the excited giggled that escaped. "No," she called after her mother, "I do, I do need you, mommy."

Melinda turned back, sat on the edge of the bed pulled the blanket down to the little girl's chin and brushed the fine hairs away from her face.

"I missed you very much when daddy and I were away." Melinda spoke softly and Daisy could almost hear what she was trying so hard not to say.

The little girl sat up quickly and wrapped her arms around her mother's neck. "I missed you too, mommy. I thought about you all the time and I knew you would come home." She spoke for Daisy, not for Skye. Daisy knew May would come home…she had the ultimate faith in her mentor, her mother. Skye had no idea what her mother truly was or what she was capable of or what she could do. "You're the best, mommy. Nobody could ever keep you from coming back to me." She hugged Melinda tighter when she felt her tense at those words, then she relaxed again.

Melinda kissed the little girl's cheek. "No, baobei, no one will ever keep me from coming home when I know you're waiting for me."

They stayed like that for a few moments, wrapped in a tight embrace as Melinda swayed back and forth in the way of all mothers, planting several kisses on her little girl before laying her back on her pillow. She picked up the stuffed puppy from the bed and hugged it once, kissed it and then handed it to Skye. Daisy took it and hugged it tightly, noticing how much it smelled like May and a little bit like that cologne Coulson always wore as well. She rolled on her side and scrunched up her legs, snuggling into her soft pillow. Melinda hummed a tune that Daisy did not recognize but liked, as she ran her fingers softly through the girl's hair. She leaned forward and kissed her daughter's temple as she stood.

Daisy could feel herself drifting away and barely noticed as Melinda opened the nightstand's drawer and take out the thermometer. She stared at it for a second and laughed a quiet laugh, kissed her baby once again then quietly left the room, turning off the light as she did.

¹Electronic Arcade, K'Nex ages 10+, 2002

²Lose the attitude, Skye, or there will be serious consequences.

³Game Boy Advance, Nintendo, sixth generation, 2001


	20. Chapter 20 - The Missing Pieces

**Chapter 20**

 **The Missing Pieces**

Fitz stormed into the Cage where his program and all its components were stored, grumbling to himself about how he'd already reviewed this data ten times and how everything was operating without glitches or viruses or any bloody problems that might cause the damn situation that Daisy had probably created all on her own. He continued mumbling to himself as he flicked on screens and started running yet another diagnostic on his program.

"I hope you're here to put an end to this damn thing." May's angry voice startled him. He ignored her comment and continued his review of his data. She kicked the side of a large processor and pulled at a large cable connected to the wall. All of the screens in the room flickered once and blurred before resetting themselves.

"Agent May, please don't tamper with the equipment like that, it's very sensitive." Fitz warned as he moved from screen to screen adjusting the information that each displayed.

May kicked at the processor again. It groaned a bit, but continued working.

"Calm down, Agent May. There is nothing wrong with the program. You know that. Daisy is just having a problem readjusting. I can show you right here." Fitz pointed to a screen that displayed little more than lines of zeros and ones. It made no sense to here. "This right here," he tapped a pencil eraser on the screen. "This is Coulson."

May looked closer and still saw nothing but the same numerals repeating themselves over and over. While it meant nothing to her, it seemed that the pattern was consistent. Fitz turned and smiled slightly then tapped another line informing her that it was her line. Again, she noticed a pattern. It wasn't the same as Coulson's but it was just as consistent. Okay, it was starting to make sense. As long as the pattern wasn't interrupted, apparently things were running as they should. With a third tap he pointed out Daisy's string of code. It too appeared to be consistently repetitive.

Fitz let out a long frustrated breath. "Here," he tapped the screen a little harder. "Here is where Daisy let herself in." There were a few blips and a blank spot here and there, but then the string of numerals ran smoothly once again. "The interruptions are because she was not fully connected to all of the monitors, the program took a few seconds to recognize that before running properly. It would have caused her no harm, it was internal only." He explained.

May nodded, although she understood very little of what he was showing her.

"This is the point you entered the program." Fitz tapped the screen again then began scrolling through several screens. "Here is the point we brought you out." He traced the strings with the pencil, first Coulson, then May and then Daisy. "Everything is just as it should be right up until…until…" Fitz stopped and sat up staring at the screen for a few seconds before he began tapping keys and looking through a few more screens. He rolled the chair from one monitor to the other and back. May stepped back to avoid being rolled over.

"What…" She started, but he held up a hand and continued to almost frantically move from one station to another softly mumbling to himself something about this not being possible and how did he not see it before.

"Fitz," May called to the young man who continued to ignore her. "Fitz!" She spoke again and he held up a finger without turning toward her. "FITZ!" May bellowed.

"No, no, no," he exclaimed. "This can not be. It just can't." He shook his head as he moved back to the original monitor and picked up his table to compare the displays. "Look, look here." He pointed to the monitor while he continued to view the tablet. May looked again, still seeing only the strings of numerals. He paused on one page that quickly flipped by and pointed to a thin red line that now dissected the three repeating patterns. "This is exactly the spot where I began bringing you back…do you see it, Agent May?" He tapped the screen again.

"Fitz!" May was done. "Either make your point or I'm pulling the plug!"

"NO! No, May, no you can't do that. No, no, no. Look right here, right here." Fitz was starting to sound a little frantic and May wondered if maybe this was too much for him too soon. "Your code and Coulson's remain constant, no changes right up until I brought you out, right…" he flipped a few pages ahead, "…here!" Fitz pointed to the end of the code where apparently she and Coulson had woken up. Under it was Daisy's code, also repeating right up to the same point when she came out of the program as well. She did not see any difference and shrugged her shoulders at him.

"I'm sorry Fitz, I don't see…"

He cut her off, quickly flicking the pages back to where he began the exit routine. "It's here, right here." He pointed to Daisy's string of code, a parade of little ones and zeros that marched along in that same pattern over and over _until_ it became a string of crazy symbols, letters, and wingwangs. These went on for exactly two repetitions then returned to the original pattern. "This, this is nothing but a bloody lot of gobble-dee-gook! It isn't even possible!" Fitz exclaimed moving back to the computer and once again tapping keys and running diagnostics which all came back showing no errors or glitches.

Fitz spun around in his chair and faced May. "You were there!" He accused her. "You were there when I began the exit protocol. Did anything happen differently? Was anything unusual? What were you doing?"

May thought for a moment about calling Daisy out, about speaking to her through Skye's little form. "I was speaking to Daisy. She was…" She tried to put it into the right words.

" _Daisy?_ Where was Skye?" He asked before she could finish.

May spent the next five minutes explaining to the young scientist how Daisy and Skye were not a hundred percent blended in the program, how each retained part of their own consciousness and how she could speak to either and to both. Fitz's brows rose in amazement but this was no time to discuss the ramifications of that development or why no one had told him prior to this fiasco.

"And you were talking to Daisy when I brought you out?" Fitz asked again.

"Well, yes, it was Daisy, but she was in Skye's body." May clarified. "She was giving me some crazy story about Skye following her back here on the last trip and she had to put her back. That's why she went into the program on her own."

Fitz shook his head at the absurdity. That was about as possible as what he now suspected had happened. Somehow his program had allowed young Skye and their Daisy to exist simultaneously. It was totally impossible, totally unexpected and totally fascinating. He had not developed the program to do anything like that. "Why didn't she just come to me?" He shook his head and quietly asked himself more than May.

"She didn't think we'd believe her." May stated calmly.

Fitz tapped the keyboard a few times and brought up the last trip into the program. He traced through the strings of code and stopped at the point he began to exit the participants. Sure enough there were extra numerals in Daisy's code. They were not consistent, but they were there. He hadn't checked that point, only the actual exit point and there were no inconsistencies there. Apparently once Daisy and Skye or Skye and Daisy made the connection everything reverted back to normal. He checked again and again found only that one point where the code was altered.

May nodded. "If you hadn't pulled us out right when you did I probably would have taken advantage of her age and paddled her ass for that stupid stunt she pulled."

Fitz frowned as he continued to search through the strings of code with intense concentration. "She certainly would have deserved it." He mumbled mostly to himself. May raised an eyebrow, surprised that Daisy's number one protector would approve of such a punishment.

"That's the point that you woke?" He asked without turning toward May who stood behind him still staring at the blinking lines of numerals.

"There was a blip of some kind, like things stopped for a second then started again. Almost like a hiccup." May told him, recalling the odd exit they'd made earlier in the day. "How does any of this explain why Daisy thinks she's a ten year old?" She sighed, still considering pulling the plug.

Fitz stared at the screen in front of him and ran his hand through his hair. He shook his head and let out a long breath. "No, May. _This_ is impossible. I don't even know how to begin to fix this." The sound in his voice was just about as defeated as she'd ever heard him.

May turned and grabbed the nearest set of wires. She wrapped them around her wrist twice and made to give them one great yank.

"NO! MAY DON'T!" Fitz screamed as he jumped to his feet and grabbed her arm. She looked at him, her eyes ablaze. "Don't…just don't," he breathed as he released her. "Daisy doesn't _think_ she's Skye," he breathed. "She _is_ Skye."

xx

"You did very well, sweetie." Jemma smiled at Skye who smiled back with Daisy's smile. "I really think you should try to eat something. How about a sandwich or maybe a nice bowl of cereal?"

"My Yeye makes me grilled cheese." Skye replied quietly. "I like that. I know you have Lucky Charms®, but the last time I ate them my tummy didn't feel so good."

Jemma wrinkled her nose. "I'm sorry to hear that, but I do think we can come up with a very nice grilled cheese. Would that be okay?"

Skye nodded as she picked at the band aid Dr. Simmons had put on her arm. The doctor wasn't so bad after all and she didn't even hurt her when she took the blood from her arm.

"Maybe while we do that you can use the shower and I'll get you some clean clothes. You might feel a better if you clean up a bit." Jemma suggested, then tapped her com and spoke to Coulson who had left them alone a few minutes ago. She let him know that Skye would like his specialty and smiled at the satisfaction she heard in his voice.

Skye looked at her hands and her arms. "I'm not really dirty, but my mommy makes me take a bath when I'm not dirty all the time." She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know how to work your shower thing. It isn't like the one at my house." She still spoke barely above a whisper and looked Simmons in the eye only once or twice. She shook her head and mumbled softly, "I like towels not those blowie things."

Jemma stifled a laugh. "I will show you how to use the shower and I think I can also find a towel or two for you as well. I will even get some essential toiletries."

Skye scrunched up her nose and tilted her head.

"Shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant…that kind of thing," Jemma explained.

Skye's mouth formed an 'O' as she nodded her head. "I don't have any of that stuff and I don't have any clothes here either." She looked down and pulled the T-shirt she was wearing away from her skin. "These are Daisy's. I guess I borrowed them or something." It suddenly occurred to her that her clothes wouldn't fit even if she did have them. She was just too big and there were things about her big body she didn't really understand and she didn't really like looking at someone else's body anyway, even if it was kinda hers or would be eventually.

"Okay, then," Jemma lead the girl to the bathroom once again, demonstrated how to turn the shower off and on, where the soap was kept and how to adjust the water temperature. Skye nodded her understanding and began to lift her T-shirt. Jemma stopped her.

"How about I give you a bit of privacy, then, okay?" Jemma felt the heat rise in her cheeks but realized that Daisy still thought she was child and had no inhibitions.

Skye stopped with her shirt up to her chest. She looked down at the large scar that ran across Daisy's belly. "How did I get this?" She pointed at it. "Did Daisy have a bad accident or operation?"

Jemma shook off the flashback of almost losing the girl. "Oh, that was a bit of an accident, but nothing you need to worry about. It's all better now. You just hop into the shower and I will bring everything you need okay."

Skye nodded and continued undressing before Jemma was able to exit the bathroom.

xx

Jemma exited the room hoping to find Coulson before they both returned to the young girl's company. Instead she almost crashed into Fitz as he hurried to enter the same.

"We have a problem." The spoke the same words to each other.

"Daisy's not Daisy," Again they spoke in unison.

"She's still in the program." Fitz spoke.

"She's lost her powers." Jemma said at the same time.

May tried to control her urge to shake them both.

"Her body temperature is ninety eight point eight." Jemma sighed. "That is at least fifteen degrees lower than her normal inhuman temp. And her blood pressure is one twenty-two over seventy-eight, her heart rate is only sixty-five. All of that is perfectly normal for a child but not for an adult and definitely not for an inhuman." Simmons sounded flabbergasted.

"That's because she _is_ a child." Fitz stated, still unable to believe the turn of events.

"Fitz, just because Daisy thinks she's a child does not affect her bodily functions. She's still a grown…"

May stopped her. "She is Skye, Simmons. She's not thinking she's the kid. She is the kid."

Jemma let out a soft snort. " _That_ is not possible, Agent May."

"I'm afraid it is, Simmons. Somehow, they switched places. We now have Skye in that room and I hope Daisy is somewhere in the program." Fitz shook his head.

The three agents turned to the sound of Coulson's whistling as he came down the hall. He carried not one but two grilled cheese sandwiches. He stopped when he recognized the looks on their faces.

Simmons quickly excused herself, hurrying off to collect what she needed for Daisy…or Skye…or Daisy in…no it was Skye in Daisy's body. How on earth were they going to fix this?

xx

Skye sat cross legged on the small bed and chomped on the second grilled cheese sandwich. Jemma had brought her clean underwear and the softest sweat pants and shirt she'd felt in a long time. They didn't smell like her clothes at home, but they were warm and comfortable. The sandwiches were excellent and she was very hungry. She also had two glasses of milk and a large oatmeal-raisin cookie.

The shower was actually fun. It didn't just come from over your head, there were little nozzles all over the wall and the water hit you everywhere. It even squirted up from the floor. It was kinda like being at a water park in your own bathroom. Jemma brought her shampoo that didn't have any scent which she thought was weird but it made a lot of lather and her hair felt really soft after it. The doctor even brought her two big towels so she only used the blower thingie for her hair. She had a new toothbrush and some toothpaste too, but she saved that for after she ate or maybe for when they told her she had to go to bed.

She sat quietly watching the four adults who spoke in low voices across the room. Jemma explained that Fitz was not a doctor that took care of people. He took care of machines which Skye thought was pretty funny because machines didn't get sick or need shots or medicine. Daddy looked at her every once in a while and smiled, but the lady that looked like a very angry mommy didn't. Skye could only see her back.

After she finished her sandwich, Skye wiped her fingers on the napkin daddy gave her and drank the last of her milk. She wondered what she would do because there were no books or games or even a television to watch. At home she had a brand new laptop to work with and she wondered if she'd ever get to use it. She tried counting the tiles in the ceiling but it was really hard because the ceiling and floor and the walls were all the same. She wasn't sure if she should be excited or afraid when all of the adults turned around and walked toward her. She backed up against the wall and hoped she wasn't in trouble. So far, almost all of them had been nice to her. She hoped it stayed that way.

"Okay, Skye," Coulson smiled as he sat down on the bed and took her hand in his. "It's getting pretty late. It's about time you tried to get some sleep."

"I don't want to sleep _here_ all by myself." She told him, hoping she wouldn't have to do that cuz this room was still creepy. She didn't like that they locked the door and there were no windows or noise or smells or sounds. It was a weird room and it gave her a weird feeling.

"We won't be far away," Coulson told her then pointed to the pretend window on the wall. "We will be able to see you all night long and if you'd like Fitz can fix it so you can see us. That way you won't be alone."

Skye frowned. "It's not the same." She mumbled. "Can't you stay just til I go to sleep?" She looked up at Coulson.

"Well, we have some important work to do, sweetie. We're going to try to get you home." Coulson explained as the two scientists watched and the mean lady stood behind them.

She looked a little different, like maybe she wasn't so mad anymore. Skye tried to peek around the others to see her but she just moved the other way. "I don't like this place, daddy." She leaned close and whispered to Coulson. "Please don't leave me all alone."

Coulson exchanged glances with the two scientists then looked back at Daisy. "I'll stay with her." May announced before anyone could speak. She stepped around the two young agents and stood in front of Coulson. "Maybe we can start over." She said quietly. "If that's okay with you?" She spoke directly to Daisy.

Skye looked at Coulson who smiled and gave a quick nod then turned to May and let out a shaky breath. "Okay…if you want to…" she mumbled. She was still kinda scared, but the lady hadn't yelled at all since she came back into the room and she looked so much like mommy that Skye really wanted her to really be her. Maybe, mommy didn't like it here either and daddy seemed to be okay with it, so she decided to try. She stared at Coulson and spoke quietly. "Will you come back if I need you?" He smiled and nodded.

"In a split second, kiddo, all you have to do is call me and I'll be here, but you won't need me because mommy will be right here with you." He smiled back at May whose nonexistent smile showed just for him. She gave a subtle nod.

Skye watched them interact, something she was familiar with seeing every day. She never understood how her parents could talk to each other without ever saying a word but it was something she loved seeing them do. She let out a shaky breath and whispered, "I'll try."

Coulson smiled and squeezed Skye's hand then kissed her forehead before rising to join FitzSimmons. "Good night, sweet pickle"

"Good night, daddy," Skye smiled. "I'm not a pickle."

The two scientists and Coulson left the room. Skye stared up at the woman who stood a few feet from the bed. "I need a go the bathroom and I gotta brush my teeth." She spoke quietly, lowering her eyes to the floor. This lady reminded her of her grandmother and she always said it was respectful to look at the floor not the big person's eyes. Maybe if she was respectful to this lady…maybe she would like her a little bit. Maybe she'd start acting more like mommy…if mommy was still in there.

Giving a quick nod, May jerked her chin toward the bathroom. Skye slid off the bed and hurried to open the door with the secret panel. She disappeared inside without a word.

May paced the floor for a few minutes, considering how to repair the damage she had done with this child inside Daisy's body. This child was her child, not just some kid…even though she was now uncomfortably locked inside her adult child's body. When inside that program she loved that little girl. While there she had no problem showing her affection to her child, letting her know how much she meant to her, letting her guard down and being the mother Skye needed her to be. Before she could come to terms with that, Daisy stepped from the bathroom and inched across the floor. She pulled down the covers and crawled into the small bed. She struggled a bit with the tangle of sheets and blankets. May took them from her and carefully smoothed them down then tucked them around the girl.

"Thank you," Skye said in nothing more than a whisper.

May smiled. "You don't have to thank me Skye. It's my job." She slowly lowered herself down on the bed. Skye scooted over just to make room. Skye stared at the woman for a moment before she remembered to keep her gaze averted. Maybe this lady was a guard and it was her job to stay here and make sure she did as she was told. Looking at her made her miss her mother ever more. She drew a breath and quickly wiped the sheet across her eyes to stop the tears were building quickly.

"My mommy tucks me in every night," she answered quietly, trying hard to keep the tears at bay. "I really miss her."

There was a lot to repair. May let out a frustrated sigh. Daisy…no, Skye didn't even recognize her as her mother here. "Your mommy misses you too and she loves you very much." May sat stiffly on the edge of the bed as she assured the adult-child. Skye nodded and quickly brushed a tear that leaked from one eye. She thought for just a moment then continued. "You know, Skye, sometimes mommies have really bad days and they do or say things they don't really mean. Sometimes they might scare their children without really thinking."

The girl nodded. "Sometimes kids do that, too. Sometimes I make my mommy mad but then I say I'm sorry. Saying sorry, helps a lot but only when you really mean it." She explained.

May smiled a small smile. If only it were that easy to fix all of this. She reached out slowly and adjusted the blankets again. "Maybe things will be better in the morning."

"I don't think I can sleep here." Skye told May in a shaky voice.

May nodded and looked at her own hands, folded on her lap. "I guess you miss Ling-a-ling."

Skye's brows rose to her hairline. "You know about Ling-a-ling?"

"I do," May nodded, still staring at her hands. "We met a long time ago before you were even born."

"You did?" Skye raised up on her elbow. "Tell me, please."

May finally looked at the girl. "If you lie down and promise to try to sleep." Skye nodded and lay back down.

"It was the day the doctor told me about you. I was walking home and thinking about who you would be, what you would look like and what your daddy would say when I told him. I walked past this little stop and there he was in the window. I stopped and looked at him and knew he had to come home with me. I went in and told the shopkeeper I needed that little Ling-a-ling dog. She put him in a box and I took him home. A few months later I put him in your crib. He slept there before you did." May smiled at the girl who listened with wide eyes.

" _You_ bought him for me?" Skye whispered. For a few moments she stared into May's eyes. She almost had to turn away from the intensity. The girl reached out and lightly touched May's cheek. She took her hand and turned it palm up then put her hand into it and smiled. "You're my mommy? My real mommy?" Skye looked into May's eyes waiting for her answer.

May could see the expectation there and knew a simple 'yes' answer would not be enough for her little girl. She thought for a moment. "Do you remember when you asked me what I would do if there were two of you?"

Skye nodded and half smiled. "You said, uh oh, double trouble."

May nodded as well. "Yes, I did and I also told you I would love you twice as much, that I would always know you and that I would always find you no matter what."

"Mommy?" Skye was up again.

"I'm so sorry Skye," a lone tear ran over May's cheek. "I was so frustrated about so many things and I just didn't think…didn't believe…"

May didn't have a chance to finish as Skye threw her arms around her and hugged tightly. "Mommy," the girl breathed. "Oh, mommy, I missed you so much. I wanted you so much. I thought you were…oh mommy."

Wrapping her arms around her child, May let her tears fall silently while shushing those of her daughter.

"Are you mad at me mommy?" Skye's voice came from within her embrace.

"No, baobei, no…I'm not angry with you, not at all. Shhh, everything is going to be alright. Daddy and I are going to fix all of this."

May laid the girl back on her pillow and pulled a few tissues from the box on the nightstand. She wiped the girl's tears and handed her another with a motion to blow. Skye did as she was told. May pushed the hair away from Skye's face and smiled at her. The girl leaned over and took a few more tissues but instead of using them she reached up and wiped her mother's tears. May took the Kleenex from the girl's hand and kissed her palm before gently placing it down on the blanket.

"Hǎo de, bǎobèi, xiànzài shì shuìjiào de shíhòule.¹" May smiled through her tears.

"Wǒ bù lèi māmā.²" Skye yawned.

"Well, let's try to go to sleep anyway." May suggested.

For a few moments it was quiet before Skye rolled to her back and looked up at May. She stared quietly for a second before asking, "Mommy, are you still mad at Daisy?"

May laughed at the girl's attempt to put off sleep but did not hesitate to answer. "Oh, yes, baobei. I am very much still angry with Daisy. She is in so much trouble." May bit her bottom lip and shook her head. "She is going to be a very sorry Daisy."

Skye giggled as if she'd been tickled. "Are you going to _spank_ her?" May merely glared at the little girl, who seemed to giggle even more. "You can't mommy, she's all grown up." Skye stopped laughing and became very serious. "Where is Daisy, mommy? I can't find her. She won't answer me when I call her. Is she lost mommy?" Skye sat up again. "Are you and daddy going to find her?"

May pushed her very stubborn child back down onto her pillow. "We think we know where she is and Fitz is working very hard to help us find her."

Skye patted her own shoulders. "I've got Daisy's body, mommy. Does she have mine? Is she little?"

May nodded. "We think that's what might have happened, bao bao." She thought for a moment and smiled an evil smile. "Maybe I'll go find her first and give her that spanking she so deserves." She said leaning down far enough to bump noses with Skye who smiled then quickly frowned.

"But mommy, if you do I don't want to go back yet. Okay?" Skye nodded.

"That's a deal." May chuckled as she kissed the girl's forehead. " _If_ you go to sleep right now."

Skye rolled to her side and curled into a ball, then tossed a few times and rolled to the other side and then back to her back. "It just won't work, mommy." Skye shook her head and rubbed a finger under her nose. I just can't sleep without Ling-a-ling." A tear formed in the girl's eye again.

May let out a long breath and brushed the tear away with her thumb. "Okay…I have to get something and you have to stay right here for just a few minutes. I'll turn on the viewing screen so you can watch me and I promise I will be right back. Can you do that?" Skye thought for a moment then nodded hesitantly. "Okay, you count to one hundred and I'll be back before you get there." May kissed the tip of the girl's nose, flicked on the viewing screen and hurried from the room.

Skye watched her mother make her way through the dark hallway to a door that looked exactly like the one for Daisy's room and come out a few seconds later with a small white box. May smiled at the camera and told the girl she was on her way back.

May held the box close to her heart. She was the farthest thing from sentimental that could be defined. After she'd lost her baby she returned home and quickly disposed of everything she had prepared for the child's arrival. She burned the crib in a fire pit, gave the clothing to charity and donated all of the toys and other things to a local shelter. She got rid of it all…all but a little brown and while stuffed Shih Tzu with long kinky hair and a little red bow. She kept it inside the box for all those years. The first few years she'd taken out a few times and cried herself to sleep holding it, but after a while it was just easier to keep it tucked away far back on a shelf. She thought about getting rid of it several times but could not bring herself to toss the little token that was the only piece left of that memory…until now.

"ninety-one, ninety-two…MOMMY!" Skye exclaimed as Melinda disappeared from the screen and stepped through the door. She was already sitting up, preparing to get out of bed and figure out how to open that invisible door.

May gave the girl a soft glare that forced her to lie back down. She sat down on the bed and took a second before lifting the lid off the box and pulling out the little stuffed dog.

"Ling-a-ling!" Skye exclaimed as she reached for the animal. May let it go and smiled as the girl hugged it to her chest. "How did he get here? He's all clean and fluffy!" Skye brought the dog to her nose and inhaled. "He smells different, but it's him. Thank you, mommy. I love you, mommy." She rolled to her side and hugged the little dog.

"I love you too, baobei," May said out loud as she ran her fingers through the girl's hair and sang a lullaby she had all but forgotten.

Skye was asleep within minutes.

Coulson watched the small monitor in the next room and smiled.

¹ Okay, baby, it's time to sleep now.

² I'm not tired, momma


	21. Chapter 21 - Take a Chance on Me

**Chapter 21**

 **Take a Chance on Me**

"Can't we just go back in and switch them?" Coulson asked as the two scientists continued pouring over data.

"NO!" They chorused.

"We aren't even sure Daisy is still in there. There is no way to contact her or to find out if she is even conscious of this…predicament." Fitz shook his head in frustration.

"There is no way to guarantee either of their safety. We don't know what it might do to Skye if Daisy isn't there on the other side." Jemma fretted. She gauged the look on Coulson's face and elected not to share her concerns about what might happen to Daisy as well. He already looked like someone who had lost much too much. Coulson sacrificed everything for the agency…for them and now they were almost ready to ask him to sacrifice the daughter he had only just found. How could life be so cruel to a man who gave so much? She just shook her head and squeezed the back of his hand.

Coulson smiled back but knew there was much both scientists were not saying.

"I have to run a few simulations. I don't know if sending her back will help or make things even worse. Look at what's happened already." Fitz spoke more to himself than to the others. Why hadn't Daisy told him about Skye? Why hadn't she mentioned that she hadn't assumed that avatar completely? Perhaps it was a lie. Perhaps she did not really trust him as much as she led him to believe. After all he had done to her in that damn Hellwork of AIDA's, how could she even look at him? It ate at him constantly. What if somehow that demonic evil part of him did this on purpose? What if it were still trying to take over his consciousness? Skye had escaped the framework he created to help Daisy and her parents. What if The Doctor had done the same? What if that monstrosity was lurking in his essence without his knowledge? It wanted to kill Jemma. It would have if Radcliffe hadn't…

Fitz stopped, suddenly feeling very nauseous. He rose from his seat in front of the monitors and keyboards and turned slowly, facing Jemma. The look on her face was of concern…fear…perhaps dread or blame…blaming him for this catastrophe. She stepped toward him, with that look…that same look she had after Ward…that look that said she would fix it if she could but…maybe would do nothing to take away this unending guilt…this pain that stood like a bloody barrier between him and everyone he had ever loved…especially his Jemma, his once sweet Jemma. He knew he did not deserve her.

She reached for him. That small white hand ready to guide and support him in whatever he did would light on his arm or his shoulder and instill in him all the courage he needed to continue, but he was no longer worthy. Fitz pulled back as fear and insecurity flooded through him like a raging fire. He knew he would be sick if she touched him…if she didn't. He'd betrayed her with a thing that was not even human, not even inhuman. His stomach lurched. He backed toward the door, staring wide-eyed at both Jemma and Coulson, almost tripping over his own feet as he went. He turned and raced out nearly colliding with May who quickly stepped aside.

Jemma moved to follow her partner. Coulson grabbed her wrist and shook his head.

"What the hell was that?" May growled as she walked into the room.

Jemma fought to contain her tears. She was trying…trying to understand, trying to put things back or just to make it through each day until they could. She loved Fitz with all her heart but could not help him to forgive himself for things he never really did. It was all a sick, made up program that lived only in a crazed android's mind. She knew Fitz would never be that monster she'd met in the Framework. He was sweet and loving, brave and loyal to his friends. He would share only bits and pieces the life he lived in the insane world AIDA had created. He spent many nights pacing in their small room or walking the debris filled halls of the once sturdy base trying to outrun the nightmares that haunted him. If she could she would climb inside his mind and delete all the memories that lurked in those dark places. As it was, he paced and she wept and neither got much sleep. They went through the motions of life during the day, working and doing their jobs because that is what Coulson needed…what May needed and what Daisy needed, but in private they were as broken as the hovel in which they all resided.

"He's a bit frustrated." Jemma answered in a shaky voice that did not convince the specialist. May merely raised an eyebrow and turned to Coulson.

The man shook his head and let out a soft breath. "Fitz has been through his data. He isn't sure what we can do to reverse this. He isn't even sure we can."

May glared at him and the young woman standing beside him. "He needs to pull himself together and put his mind to it. As I recall you once told _both_ of them _never_ to tell you something was impossible."

"There's no way to look into the program. We don't know if Daisy is there?" Jemma spoke softly.

"Not there? Where the _hell_ is she?" May demanded, losing what was left of her temper but remaining her stoic self.

Coulson stood and stepped in front of his partner, ready to console her or hold her back. "They aren't sure May. It's possible we've…we've lost her." He spoke so softly it was almost impossible to hear.

"I never said that sir." Jemma quickly informed them.

The man looked into May's eyes, seeing the hurt form…seeing her push it away just a quickly. "You didn't have to, Jemma." He spoke to the scientist, as he reached for May's hand but she pulled away and walked to the wall of monitors still blinking with the strings of code.

"Then we go in and find her." She spoke through her teeth and turned to Simmons. "Send me in, now. I'll find her."

"I can't do that May." Simmons explained. "Fitz disabled the program after Daisy's solo dive into it. He didn't want it to happen a second time. Right now he's running another diagnostic searching for any trace of Daisy's code, the problem is that since they are essentially the same person the codes are also the same. He seems to think that a slight glitch appears at varying intervals, but there is no way to track them. We don't even know what causes them." Jemma sounded just as defeated as Fitz had earlier.

May grabbed the young woman's shoulder and spun her around. "We did not come all this way just to give up. You get your ass out there and find Fitz. Tell him to pull it together and get back here then the two of you put your genius brains together and work this out."

Jemma looked at her almost ready to tell her to just stuff it, but a part of her knew May was right. They had to work this out.

"NOW!" May barked and the scientist hurried from the room. She took short breaths to calm herself, bringing her heart rate down and stilling the anger that threatened to take over. Her back was to Coulson. She could not face him…not right now. She just could not look into that face and see that hurt, that need to comfort her pain, the pain she was fighting so hard to suppress. One look and it would fall apart, the wall would crumble and all the loss would crush her. Melinda May would not allow that to happen. She would not give in to emotion, not now when her daughter needed her to be strong. She felt more than heard him take a step toward her.

"Don't," she warned, stiffening at his approach.

"May," he stopped and spoke softly. "We're going to get her back. This isn't over. I don't want to believe we've lost her. I don't want to believe that possibility." He took a tentative step, then a second and laid his hand on May's shoulder. He felt the tension melt from her as it diminished under his touch. She shook with the emotion she struggled to maintain.

"We had a second chance," May spoke slowly, controlling every word. "And we screwed up again…this wasn't meant to be. Fate is trying to knock sense into us, but we keep just keep fighting it and our child pays the price. How much more can we hurt her?" She turned and spoke to her partner, ignoring the tears that filled her eyes but would not fall.

Coulson shook his head and attempted a small smile as he reached for her hand. Surprised that she allowed him to take it, he held on for a moment and stared before continuing. "Fate brought her back to us, May. Fate put her in that van in that ally a few years back and fate had me bring her here. It all boils down to fate, May. Not the kind of fate that takes things away, but the one that puts things back the way they should have been in the first place. We've come very close to losing her May, you know that, but every time, every single time fate brought her back…back to us, May."

May shook her head, not ready to trust her voice.

"Right now it seems we've got both our little girl and our Daisy, sort of an odd paradox." He almost laughed, but stopped himself at the snarl on May's face.

"And if Fitz can't fix this? Do you think that's how Daisy wants to live? Do you think she wants to be a ten year old in a woman's body? Do you think Skye is happy? And damn it Phil, what about her powers? How do we explain that to her?" May pulled her hand from his and paced across the room then back.

"Fitz is positive that her powers are dormant, that she would not have them as a child." Coulson explained. "She hasn't shown any ability, even when she was histerical."

"So here she has the mind of a child and there, hopefully, she is physically a child. Her powers…abilities are where? Somewhere lost in all those strings of numbers?" She nodded toward the computer screens. "And if Fitz does manage to straighten this mess out, can he guarantee she'll get _that_ back?" She paused for a moment but knew he had no answer. "And how do we explain that to _our_ Daisy? How do we help her when she realizes she's lost herself…lost who she was meant to be?"

xx

Jemma tapped lightly on the bunk door before opening it. She stood in the doorway and scanned the small, neatly kept space but found no sign that Fitz had been there. She pulled the door closed and stood against it in the dimly lit hallway. There was a time when she knew all of Fitz's hideaways, the places he went to think or to sort out those thoughts. All of those places were gone, turned to gravel by the explosion that rocked the base and began the episode that saved them all. She almost laughed at the irony. They needed total destruction to save them from destroying each other. It was ridiculous.

Jemma looked to the left. People who run away from home will more than likely go left. It was a weird fact, but one she remembered from some trivia game they used to play. 'Right,' she thought to herself. 'Like we even have a home to run from.' The hall was blocked by chunks of rubble. Fitz could not go left even if he wanted to run away. He wouldn't go to the lab. He'd know she'd look there first. Mack's garage and workshop were completely obliterated forcing him and Yoyo to seek a temporary home outside the base. It worked for them as they too tried to put their lives back together.

Mack needed time to mourn for the daughter he had lost. He still refused to share the story of the real Hope and how she had lost her very short life in this reality. It gave the strong man too much pain. He'd taken his bike and Yoyo and gone to his parent's home. He was spending time with his brother, letting the young man get to know Elena. She'd contacted them once telling them he had taken her to the place where Hope rested and he'd broken down in despair. But they were talking and sharing and making plans to do something in Hope's name, to keep her alive in that way…to help others because that's what they did. She smiled knowing the couple was on their way to healing.

The young woman made her way down the hallway, checking Daisy's bunk and a few empty rooms with no luck in finding Fitz. Jemma knew the passage to the lower levels had been cleared and the cell where they had kept Ward for all those months was surprisingly intact, unaffected by the explosion. She pushed open the door and peered down the stairs into the darkness, listening for any sound that might alert her to Fitz's presence. She heard nothing but the soft clicks and pops that old buildings that have survived major explosions will make. She stepped back into the hall and attempted to pull the door closed but it caught on something and she could not move it. She gave up and moved down the hall toward what was once the agents' locker room.

A soft sound coming from the common lavatory stopped her. Jemma moved to the door and put her ear close to it. She listened to the sounds for a few seconds before tapping lightly. "Fitz? Fitz, are you alright?" She waited, giving him time to answer. The sounds from inside stopped as if flicked off by a switch.

"Go away, Jemma. Just go away." Fitz's voice was shaky. It reminded her of when he had first begun speaking after his coma…when he was unsure and afraid.

"I can't do that, Fitz." She spoke to the door. "I won't." Jemma pushed against the door, expecting him to resist but easily opened it. She stepped inside finding her partner sitting on the floor with his back to the wall. He was pale…almost ashen. A sheen of perspiration covered his face, his hair damp on his forehead. She recognized the signs. She knew he had been vomiting. He refused to look up at her, so she sat down beside him.

For a few moments they sat in silence, almost ignoring each other's presence. Jemma folded her hands on her lap and crossed her feet at the ankles. "Do you remember our very first week at the academy?" She couldn't help the smile the memory brought. Fitz looked away, refusing to respond. "We were all given lab partners and you were put with that Carl Mordred. You said he was the reincarnation of the son of King Arthur." She laughed a small laugh. "He undermined everything you did and tried to make you feel less than what you were. I found you in the loo, just like you are now. All sweaty and pallid, thinking you should just pack up and leave. Do you remember that Fitz? Do you?" She bumped him with her shoulder.

"That was a long time ago, Simmons. We were children. We knew no better." He mumbled still looking away.

"You're right, Fitz, we were children and we've come a very long way since then. We've grown and changed and learned there are things much worse than failing an exam or an incomplete assignment." Jemma grew serious again. "We've come through a lot, Fitz, and we've survived it all. We've come through terrible things, all of us have, things we never could have imagined back then…when we were just children."

"And how many of those terrible things were because of me…because of the things I created?" Fitz spoke more to himself than to Jemma.

"Fitz, great men create great things all the time. They cannot be responsible for those who misuse their ideas or develop destruction out of those things. If that was the case there would be no new ideas or inventions or creations of any kind. You know that."

"I know that I created the devil herself and she was determined to destroy this world…and…and…I was more than willing to help her do it." His voice rose to a squeaky pitch as tears streamed down his face. "I almost killed Daisy, Jemma." He looked directly at her for the first time. "I had her beaten and tortured until she could barely stand. I would have killed her in a heartbeat and thought nothing of it. I would have…I would have pulled that trigger Jemma. I would have k-killed you as well. I can't fix this. I can't. I don't even know who I am anymore."

It was the first time he had spoken of anything that happened inside the Framework and for a moment Jemma was stunned. She knew he would have killed her there and she was willing to die. She would rather die than live without him or live with the fact that he hated her. Life was not worth living without Fitz by her side. She did not know what he had done to Daisy. She felt her skin crawl at the fact, but now was not the time or place to pursue it.

"That wasn't you, Fitz. That was something AIDA created for her own pleasure. She turned you into that version of you. You were not responsible." She reasoned for the countless time.

"It _was_ me, Simmons. I was totally aware of what I was doing and knew I had choices but I did nothing to stop it. I wanted to do as she wished. I wanted to please her. I wanted my father's approval and I would have done anything to get either." He spit out his comments with acid-like venom. Jemma could hear the vehemence in his voice.

Jemma turned toward the man next to her and took his face in her hands. "Look at me, Fitz!" She demanded. "LOOK AT ME!" She shook his head just a bit but spoke with authority despite the tears that now streamed over her cheeks. "That was _NOT_ you. That man that made your life possible never gave you a thing and you owe him nothing. AIDA stopped you from being the kind, wonderful, sweet man that you are because she took me away from you, because she knew that together we are unstoppable, that you need ME and I need YOU. I need you Fitz. I need you just as much as you need me. Daisy said that the one thing she believed through all the insanity we have been through was that you and I belong together and that we do not stop here. Not here on this bathroom floor, or here in this base full of rubble and debris or here in that room full of processors…not here and not now." She stared into his eyes until he closed them and squeezed out his own tears. Her hands slid down his cheeks, across his chest and back to her own lap.

Jemma's voice became soft and low. "No matter what you think you've done, you are still the man I love and I cannot go on without you, Fitz. I just can't." She let her head drop back against the wall, closed her eyes and let the sob that she had tried to quell, escape her chest.

His hand wrapped around both of hers, squeezing lightly at first then holding firmly and tugging her toward him. She allowed herself to be pulled to rest on his shoulder then sobbed harder as his arms encircled her. She felt his cheek against her forehead. It was the closest they had been since…since they returned from that nightmare. They stayed that way for a long time simply sharing the closeness.

"We have to help Daisy." Jemma broke the silence, speaking softly into Fitz's chest. She felt him nod. "May is threatening to enter the program on her own."

"I am pretty sure we have no worries about that." Fitz almost laughed. She felt the small rumble in his chest. He pulled his arms back, stood then reached down to help her up as well. "It's very late. Even if we could solve this now, we all need some rest. I am sure both versions of our Daisy or Skye or whoever we have right now is asleep, as she should be. There's little we can do." He shook his head as he rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand.

It was such a small gesture, yet it meant so much that it made Jemma's breath catch. "I don't think May is going be very happy with that." Jemma shook her head but kept her eyes on the motion of Fitz's thumb.

"She won't have much of a choice then will she?" Fitz posed as he wrapped his hand around hers and started for the door. "We'll have to appeal to her as a mother and do what's best for Daisy."

"Skye," Jemma corrected as they exited the lavatory.

"Both of them," Fitz agreed.

xx

Coulson and May stood inside the room where Skye slept. The girl had become agitated, tossing and turning in her sleep. Both agents noticed it on the monitor and hurried to comfort the girl locked in Daisy's body. May had beat Coulson to the room, quickly opening the door with her palm on the sensor pad and hurrying to the bedside. She sat on the edge of the mattress and gently rubbed the girl's back, shushing her quietly. Skye calmed immediately, hugging the little stuffed dog tightly. She snuggled down into the pillow as May tucked the blankets up to her chin and brushed the hair from her face.

"You would have been a wonderful mother." Coulson remarked without looking at his partner.

"You can tell by watching one small incident?" May raised an eyebrow.

"No," he smiled, ignoring the pain that immediately woke in his head. "I've seen you in action. You are a wonderful mother. You know just when to be soft and when to take a firm hand. You love her and she knows it. That's important for kids, to know someone thinks they are the most important thing in the world. That's how you make her feel." He grinned at the slight flush that faded over her cheeks.

"I think your projecting, Phil. You're the one who makes her feel like royalty, all that coddling and fussing and eternal spoiling." Melinda shook her head.

"I do not spoil her." Phil protested with a grin. "I just give her a little more free rein than you do."

Melinda laughed through her nose and shook her head. "We would have been good together," she looked at the surprise in his eyes, "the three of us," she added and he let out a soft sigh.

"She needed both of us, Mel, both of us together." He spoke to May but looked at Skye sleeping peacefully. "Don't you feel that…when you're there?" He hedged. The pain in his head throbbed to the point it brought unspent tears to his eyes.

"I do," she admitted. "In there…where things are…are different than here, where it's a little simpler and where we know it isn't real so we can let down our guard." May spoke as if she were talking to herself, letting her thoughts just roll. She too watched her grown, but still so young, child sleep.

Phil let his thoughts wander. In the Fitzwork he did let his guard down. He had no problem telling this woman how much he loved her. He held her and kissed her, laughed with her and wrapped his arms around her in the bed they shared. They held each other and shared their passion in the way he wished he could do here. He wished it could be the same here. Why didn't he have the courage to tell her? He had very little doubt that she felt the same, yet something held him back. It was the something that would change everything if they took that fateful step.

"We've been dancing around this for a long time Coulson." May suddenly turned to face him, tired of all they'd been through and weary with all they had yet to accomplish. They'd been together for all these years, teasing each other…testing each other. Hell, they had a child together and she needed them. Every time she stepped into that damn computer program she saw how much that little girl needed the parents they would have been, needed to be even now. Daisy was grown. She was strong and confident but she still needed that root of stability. She needed to see for herself that her parents cared as much about each other as they did about her. May knew he loved her, damn it she loved him too. That screwball Garret even saw it, saying she'd follow him to the grave and she would without question or pause. What the hell was holding them back? Was it some wild power-play as they dared each other to make the first move?

Coulson smiled through the pain he knew she could see. "Maybe they just haven't been playing the right music," he suggested.

May closed her eyes and shook her head. She used anger to hide emotion and he threw out stupid jokes to mask his. They made quite a pair. "I think it's about time we find it, don't you?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

Coulson smiled back. "I've got some old forty-fives in my bunk. If only we had a turntable we might just find something we both like."

May folded her arms and looked at him for a moment. "Seriously, you have forty-fives…and no turntable? What's the point?"

"I actually salvaged them from my old office when Mace came on board. I thought the turntable would be safe there." He shrugged his shoulders. "Who knew that robo-you would blow up our base in order to save us from robo-me?"

"Huh," May grunted. "Maybe Fitz can rig something up to play them. Wouldn't want to let all those good old fashioned love songs go to waste, would we?"

He smiled with one side of his face. "No, no we wouldn't. It's a big step, you know, listening to all that music…together."

May shook her head and turned down her mouth. "Really? I think we've already taken that step, sans the music. Maybe this time we'll have a slow dance rather than all that rock and roll." She smiled slyly.

"We could sample both…just to be sure," He grinned.

May stopped, listening to the voice in her comm. "Fitz is back," she said quickly and stepped toward the door. Coulson let out a slow breath and followed.

xx

Fitz stood in front of his collection of processors ready to defend his position. "There is little we can do now," he began. "It is late. We all need sleep in order to tackle this properly." He turned to the monitor and tapped a few keys bringing up a swirl of code. "This is Skye, the Skye we have next door. Her code differs from Daisy's in a slight bend in one of the zeros that appears at irregular intervals." He looked over his shoulder at the couple staring at the screen. "I've never seen anything like it but I have been able to track it and match it to Daisy." He tapped a few more keys. "This is Daisy's code." He let it run across the screen for several seconds then tapped the monitor. "Here and here, see the slight bend in the zero, in the opposite direction. I believe that is where they intersect or overlap or connect or whatever they do in order to exist as two separate entities."

"So, all you have to do is correct it." May observed.

Fitz stared at her for a beat, realizing this was not her forte. "No, no Agent May, that would not be wise. Should I do such a thing I could delete one or both of them, in the least I may alter their conscious minds and wipe their memories clean. Tampering with the code is not wise."

"Then why are you showing us this?" May growled, clearly disgusted with the situation.

"Because this string of code shows that Skye is sleeping and if Daisy exists in the program the she too is asleep. I've slowed down the time code in the program so it runs almost parallel to our own. It may help me locate Daisy's consciousness and send Skye back to where she switched places."

"When Daisy tried to contact Radcliffe in the Framework she kept sending him yoyos. She put them everywhere she found his code. He understood and made a connection. He could not speak to us, but we sent him messages he could understand. It's how we got Mack and Elena out of the program before AIDA ended all of them." Jemma explained.

"Then you can do the same with Daisy." Coulson stated, feeling encouraged.

"Daisy knew where Radcliffe was and that he would respond to her unorthodox message. I'm not sure of that with Daisy." He tapped a few keys and the system went black. The soft hum in the room slowly dissipated. Before May could react Fitz held up a hand. "I've put the system to sleep. Something we should all do."

May opened her mouth then shut it as Coulson stepped to her side. "He's right. We've been at this for almost twenty-four hours with no rest. Fatigue, sleep deprivation causes errors, errors we cannot afford. We all get some rest and meet back here in eight hours…no, make that next door. We can have breakfast together before we get started."

Fitz nodded as he retrieved a tablet and held a hand out toward the door. Simmons stepped that way, followed by Coulson and May. Fitz exited as well, pulling the door shut and locking it with the password on his tablet then pressing his palm to the locking pad until it turned red. It would only open for him. He would not take anymore chances.

Simmons waited and gave a slight nod to the older couple as she and Fitz headed for the bunk they shared.

"I think I'll grab a blanket and find a spot in with Skye. She might wake up and I know she is a little freaked out by the room." Coulson smiled weakly.

May nodded slowly. "There's a couple of cots in the med bay. I'll get them. You get the blankets and pillows. We wouldn't want our girl waking up and not knowing where we were, would we?" She smiled at him.

Coulson smiled as she walked away. They'd spend tonight as a family, together.

The pain in his head lessened.


	22. Chapter 22 - I'll Give You a Daisy a Day

**Chapter 22**

 **I'll Give You a Daisy a Day**

Daisy stood in the dark, contemplating opening the bedroom door. She knew Melinda May had the supersonic hearing of a bat. She could probably hear a rabbit fart from a mile away during a thunder storm. The girl breathed as silently as she could and wriggled her fingers just above the doorknob. Hell, she had to at least try. Letting out a quick breath, she turned the knob slowly, avoiding so much as a click as she released the catch and gently pulled it just enough to slip Skye's skinny little body into the hallway. Standing there she blinked a few times allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She peered at the base of her parents' bedroom door and found it totally dark…no light, meant no one was up…(she hoped). Raising one bare foot at a time she stepped carefully across the soft rug using every bit of stealth her mentor had taught her. If a door opened or she heard the smallest sound she'd head for the bathroom. Hell, she couldn't get in any trouble for needing to pee in the middle of the night.

The clock in the living room chimed three times startling the girl so that she almost slammed against the wall. She caught herself and took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. Standing at the top of the stairs she looked down into the darkness and tried to remember if any of those steps had creaks or pops that she needed to avoid. Jumping to the bottom was definitely out. That would earn her at least a broken limb if not a broken neck. She stared at the railing and a wide smile spread over her face. Oh, she hadn't done that in ages. Sliding down the banister was a big no-no at St. Agnes and she did it on a regular basis, much to the Sister's dismay. She turned it into an art. Flannel PJ bottoms worked the best, they had the least friction. She went the fastest in that garb. Wearing shorts let her legs drag across the slick wood and gave a farty sound all the way down. The kids always got a charge out of that. As she got older she was able to do the one-cheek slide and jump from the bottom landing on her feet in the center of the foyer. Those were the days. Daisy laughed to herself.

"Well, kid," she whispered to Skye's little kid body as she shook her arms and legs loosing up a bit. "I don't know if you ever gave this a try but here goes nothing." She slipped one leg over the railing and held on for a moment judging the speed and when she'd need to stop before slamming into the decorative knob at the base of the stairs. 'Maybe a swift slide in dark isn't such a good idea for a first time,' Daisy thought as she wrapped her hands around the posts below the railing and slowly lowered herself down one at a time. She stopped when her tush bumped the end of the railing and slipped off landing lightly on the foyer floor.

"Yes," Daisy silently celebrated, pulling down a fist with pride. This stuff was a lot easier with a smaller, lighter body.

The celebration was short lived as she stood in the middle of the foyer staring at the dark wooden door of the hall closet. It would open without a sound, she knew that, but getting up to that shelf would be tricky. Daisy wondered if that grabby thing was still buried somewhere in the back of the broom closet off the kitchen. In Daisy's world it had been about two weeks since she had Skye use it to snag the shed key and liberate her bicycle. In Skye's world it had been about five years. Certainly that was more than enough time for the thing to be forgotten, if May hadn't destroyed it after the bike fiasco. Daisy sighed knowing if she wasn't careful this little scheme might go down the same way. She grit her teeth and rubbed her backside. For Skye it might be a long forgotten incident but for Daisy it was a lingering memory she did not want to repeat.

Dragging a chair across the kitchen floor would probably wake the whole house. Maybe a skinny little body wasn't such a great thing. Skye had very little core strength and those damn chairs must weigh fifty pounds each. Daisy knew she could barely lift one let alone carry it from the kitchen to the hallway. The little step in the bathroom was now in the basement. Skye no longer needed it to reach the sink and attempting to go down there would wake her very dour grandmother who was using the extra downstairs bedroom during her visit. Daisy crumpled down to sit on the floor. She crossed her legs in front of her, rested her elbows on her knees and her head on her hands. She let out a soft fluttery breath. She hadn't thought this out very well.

Suddenly sitting up perfectly straight and wide eyed, Daisy remembered her powers. What was wrong with her? She could just quake the box a little bit, just a little shiver to get it to the edge of the shelf and catch it before it hit the floor. She smiled at her ingenuity. There really hadn't been any need to use her power here in this reality. A ten year old had little need to do what Daisy Johnson did to protect her friends and the world, but just a little wriggle of power could get her what she wanted.

Daisy pushed herself up and padded to the closet. She turned the knob and pulled the door open slowly. It was hard to distinguish the laptop box in the dark and it was a lot darker in the closet than the hallway. She closed her eyes and tried to picture the shelf as it looked when she found the item earlier. It was in the center with two smaller boxes on top. It would be tricky shivering it out from those without bringing them down as well. Reaching out she stretched her fingers and concentrated her energy toward the shelf. Nothing happened. She tried again, tried pushing more power from her fingertips but again nothing happened. Daisy shook her hand and wriggled her fingers then tried again. This time she let her arm drop to her side resigning herself to the fact that she, as Skye, possessed no inhuman talents.

Back to square one, Daisy considered just dragging herself back to bed in defeat, but she was so very close. Damn, kids were just so short, even on her tip toes she wasn't even close to reaching that bar that held the coats hanging in the closet. Skye…she was shorter than the average kid. Daisy remembered being the smallest kid in her class almost every year. So many people gauged her age as much younger than she really was. Now she felt like Thumbelina and that laptop could have been on top of the Empire State Building. She brushed a tear off her cheek and growled at herself for crying. Crying meant you were weak…and tired…and scared…and little and just this once…just this one time…she needed her mother. Daisy needed her mother to understand she needed that laptop, that she was sorry for all the trouble she had caused and she just had to have it. Why was May being so unreasonable? Why deny her something she needed so badly? Maybe she didn't love her as much as Skye thought she did. A mother wouldn't hurt her kid like this if she really loved her, would she?

Daisy shook her head. Where the hell were all these crazy thoughts coming from? She hadn't had any great experiences with mothers, not even that one that said she was really hers. Everything always boiled down to her not living up to their expectations or maybe vice versa. But, this was May. May didn't say things that weren't true and she would never _ever_ pretend to love her if she didn't. "You're not a kid anymore," Daisy whispered to her little kid body and almost laughed at the irony. May was being a mother, a real mother and discipline didn't mean she didn't care. If anything it meant she did.

Daisy's shoulders slumped, May was doing this because she was her mother and hell, she'd been a royal brat and she was damn lucky this was all she had to deal with because it could have been a lot worse. She quickly wiped another tear and then another and then gave up because they were coming too quickly to catch. Emotions were overwhelming and she was forgetting all of her training. If she didn't get that damn laptop she could spend the rest of whatever this life was here in Fitz' computer program…until he turned it off or…she could barely form the thought…deleted it.

That couldn't happen. She hadn't had the chance to have her parents…to really _have_ them as her real parents, not just the people she pretended were hers. That was Daisy's deepest, most heartfelt secret. She'd held Coulson and May in her heart as her parents since…well she couldn't even remember when it first started or how, it just did. She'd lie in her bunk on the Bus and tell herself fairytales about how they had to give her up, how they knew but were just waiting for the chance to tell her, how she would pretend to be angry but would be overjoyed at the news. She would never be angry or resentful for what they had to do to protect her and themselves. She understood. But it was all just day-dreaming and when SHIELD fell reality took over very quickly. Daisy shook the thoughts from her head and swiped both eyes with her sleeve, terminating the tears. This was getting her nowhere.

Daisy's training did click in when she heard a soft sound from above. Light footsteps in the hall meant someone was up and if she was right, and she knew she was, that person was May and she was almost to the top of the stairs. Daisy slipped into the closet and pulled the door closed. She pushed herself back as far as she could, behind the coats and sweaters and whatever else hung in the deep closet. When her back touched the wall she slid down and pulled herself into a tight ball. She could no longer see the door and hoped that meant she was invisible among the many things stored there.

The footsteps came down the stairs that formed the ceiling of the large closet. Daisy could picture May stealthily making her way down to the first floor. May hadn't stopped in Skye's room, or so Daisy hoped. She didn't hear the door but maybe she was there before Daisy realized she was on her way down. If that were the case then May was certainly looking for her and she'd have a lot of explaining to do…unless…the sleepwalking thing!

Yes, she could pull the sleepwalking card again. It would be harder. May didn't fool easily, hell, she didn't fool at all. Without Skye's body in sleep mode, she'd have to pull it off on her own…or…or she could just pretend she woke up here and had no idea how it happened. That might just work. She'd pull the old tears and nightmare deal. Yep, Daisy could cry on demand and she really was scared so that wouldn't be much of a stretch.

She listened as May moved down the hallway and into the kitchen. She wasn't in the room very long before she moved back to the hall and opened the powder room door then closed it. A second later Daisy knew May was just outside the closet. Suddenly it was very warm. She could feel the sweat on her forehead and running down her back. The doorknob made a soft sound and Daisy dropped her head, closing her eyes. Even the tiniest glint of light would catch her eyes and give her away. She hoped her dark hair blended into the black depth of the closet.

The door was open. She didn't hear it, but the light cool air let her know. She could hear May's soft, controlled breathing only because she was trained to do so. She kept her head down despite the feeling that May's eyes were boring a hole through the top of it. She knew it was psychological, that it was just an overwhelming feeling just because she was hiding. If she imagined she'd been found and that would give the searcher the upper hand. If she moved, breathed too fast or too loudly, picked up her head or opened her eyes, May would have her. Daisy froze, just as she had been trained. She became part of the items she sat in, her breathing almost stopped although she could hear her heart slamming against her chest.

"Let's go, Skye, back to bed." May's voice was soft but stern. Daisy did not take the bait. She knew it was another psychological ploy to make her give herself away. She did not move, did not allow her breathing to change.

"Skye, I'm only going to wait three minutes and if you aren't out here…well, neither of us are going to be very happy." May spoke slowly, keeping her voice even. She wasn't issuing a threat, just stating a fact.

Daisy wrestled with giving in and staying put. May could just be poking around or she could know she was there. Daisy couldn't be sure. She was sure however, that if May had to drag her out of her hiding place it would not be pretty. A stream of sweat ran down the side of her head and into her ear, sending a shiver of tickle through her. She grit her teeth to prevent her body from reacting.

"Two minutes, Skye," May was counting down.

Daisy felt her heart quicken and knew her breath was coming too fast. May was good, too good. She was still the SO and Daisy still the student.

"Minute and a half…" May sounded a little less patient.

And yet there was still that small chance that May was bluffing...that she really did not knew Daisy as Skye was burrowed into the back of the closet. Daisy wasn't quite sure if she was willing to take that chance as Skye. She thought again. If May knew Skye wasn't in her bed then she certainly would be looking for her and she knew that laptop was her goal. She'd look there first. If Daisy didn't answer, if May was bluffing she'd probably wake up the house and everyone would be searching. When they finally found her in the closet…where she hadn't answered in the first place…well, she didn't really want to think about that outcome.

"You have exactly thirty seconds, Skye. Don't make me come in there." May warned with a hint of anger.

Daisy let out a soft sigh and picked up her head. She pushed herself up and moved toward the door pushing the coats and sweaters aside as she shuffled forward. May's silhouette blocked the doorway and Daisy stopped in front of her, looking at her bare toes rather than up into May's angry eyes. Daisy really hated when May did 'angry eyes'. Skye probably did too.

May stepped aside and Daisy slipped out of the closet without turning her back to her mother. May closed the door with one hand and caught her daughter's arm with the other. She turned toward the little girl.

"Explain," May demanded with one word.

Daisy yawned a mighty yawn (albeit fake) and rubbed one eye. "Mommy?" She tried to sound surprised.

May snorted, "One mention of sleepwalking and I will tan your backside all the way up those stairs." She pointed up as she directed the little girl toward the bottom of the steps.

Daisy swallowed hard and covered that target with her one free hand. "I just wanted to be near it. I know I can't have it but I could just look at it." She pulled the pathetic sympathy card.

"And you had no intention of getting it down," May posed.

It was pointless to lie to Melinda May. She had an internal lie detector. "I couldn't reach." Daisy mumbled as they started up the stairs.

"Uh huh," May responded. "At the rate you're going, you might not have it until you can reach it."

Daisy let out a defeated sigh and pause, pulling back on May's hand as they reached Skye's bedroom door. May gave a gentle tug and helped her little girl over the threshold. Daisy felt a shiver go through her. If there was a price to pay, May was about to collect. As May led her to the bed she felt a tear roll over her cheek. Daisy was not about to have a meltdown. She quickly wiped the tear away.

May pulled back the blanket and motioned for her little girl to climb in then tucked the blanket around her and placed a kiss on her forehead. She sat on the edge of the bed for a moment and smiled at her daughter. She brushed the fine hairs from the child's face and hummed a quiet familiar tune, then kissed the girl again, stood and walked from the room leaving the door ajar.

Daisy lay in the dark staring at the bluish light in the hall and listening for the click of May's bedroom door. It seemed to be taking an awfully long time. She slipped to the floor and tiptoed across the room. Poking her head out the door she jumped at the sound of May's voice coming from the dark void at the end of the hallway. Her parents' bedroom door was also open. May was taking no chances.

"Skye…"

It was soft but definitely a warning, said in that tone parents use when kids have pushed them to the end of their patience. It was said in that tone that meant the next warming would be a lot more drastic.

Daisy turned and raced across the floor, diving into the bed and pulling the covers around her. She grabbed the raggedy little stuffed dog and pulled it into a tight hug then squeezed her eyes shut tight.

That damn laptop would have to wait until tomorrow.

xx

Daisy rubbed her hand across her eye and yawned before reaching into a great stretch. She reached her arms up as far as she could then dropped them down at her sides and smiled before opening her eyes. She blinked a few times at the brightness and breathed in the scent of fresh brewed coffee. Sitting up she looked down at her self and remembered where she was. No matter how great that coffee smelled, Melinda May would probably down the entire pot before she'd let her have a tablespoon full. She dragged herself out of bed and trudged to the bathroom then schlepped down the stairs and into the kitchen where she flopped into a chair and slouched back still carrying a mighty pout.

"Zuò qǐlái, sūnnǚ. Zhè duì nǐ de jǐchuí shì bùlì de.¹" William scolded as he placed a glass of orange juice in front of the sullen child.

Daisy flicked at it gently, causing a light ping. "Wǒ nìngyuàn hè yībēi kāfēi.²" She sighed with a puff of frustration.

"Kāfēi?" William laughed. "Nǐ zhīdào kāfēi bùshì wèile xiǎo nǚhái. Hē nǐ de chéngzhī.³"

Daisy pulled a yuck face and stuck out her tongue as her grandfather turned back to the omelet he was preparing. She looked around the kitchen. There was no tea cup on the table or pot whistling on the stove, no coffee mug at her father's usual spot. The basement door was closed. Everything seemed still.

She tapped the top of her juice glass. "Where are mommy and daddy?" She asked casually as she slid the glass a few inches away.

William let out a quick breath and continued his work without turning toward her. "Your parents did a bit too much yesterday. It is best they rest today. Your grandmother is making sure your mother remains in bed as long as possible."

"Did she slip May a mickie?" Daisy sat up straight and stared at her grandfather's back with her eyes and mouth wide open.

William turned and raised an eyebrow at his granddaughter. "Where have you heard such a thing, sunnu?" He made a small clicking noise and shook his head. "And why do you disrespect your mother using her surname as you do?"

Daisy immediately changed her tone, shrugged her shoulders and mumbled. "I dunno. On TV I guess, maybe." She wasn't taking any chances getting into more trouble. So far her batting average was less than stellar.

William turned back and placed a cheesy omelet in front of his granddaughter with a smile. The toaster popped and the man walked back to the counter to butter a slice for the child. He carried it back to the table along with a small glass of milk. Daisy sat up and dug into the dish. She was frustrated over the situation but that was no reason to starve herself. She swung her feet back and forth under the table and watched as her grandfather prepared his own plate and sat down across from her. She envied him that aromatic cup of coffee.

"Grandmother is not going to have breakfast?" She asked around a mouthful of toast.

William cast a look that told her not to speak with her mouth full. "Your grandmother has gone into the city to visit a colleague. She wishes to find out more about your parents' accident." He explained in a tone that told her that was all he would say.

Daisy smiled to herself. 'Accident my ass…they were on a mission and it went south. They've both been shot. May is a little worse than Coulson, favoring her left side, probably a through and through.' She assessed the situation as second nature. Her parents were hurt, but as usual they were pushing themselves to the limit, ignoring doctors' orders and their own bodies telling them to take a break. She'd seen both do it hundreds of times, but this time…this time they did it for her. They probably dragged themselves out of hospital beds to get home to her on Christmas Eve and then pulled themselves up out of bed before dawn to celebrate the holiday with her as well. She rested her temple on the palm of her hand and suddenly felt pretty guilty for acting like such a rotten brat all day. In fact, part of the way she felt was more than likely due to that guilt. She picked at her eggs with the prongs of her fork.

"You need to finish your breakfast, sunnu, not push it around the plate. I will prepare more for your parents. You may help me take it to them." William smiled, hoping the little girl would enjoy serving her parents breakfast in bed.

Daisy felt the flush across her cheeks and almost choked on the bite she was chewing. She couldn't imagine walking into a room and finding May and Coulson in bed…together. Hell, they weren't that badly injured they could be doing a lot more than resting. She grabbed the juice glass in front of her and swallowed half the contents before remembering how much she despised the stuff. The combination of orange juice, eggs and cheese made for a stomach turning delight. She took long slow breaths to contain the churning, knowing that tossing her breakfast would bring May out of her bed armed with that damn thermometer again. She covered her displeasure with a bout of coughing.

"Perhaps chewing before swallowing would be wise, little one." William advised as he rose and moved to thump his granddaughter on the back a few times.

"Thank you, Yeye," Daisy answered hoarsely. She desperately needed a drink and looked at the glass of milk. Ugh, milk after orange juice? For sure she'd be racing to the powder room. She set down her fork and nibbled on the end of her toast. Maybe it would serve as a buffer for the milk.

William stood and carried his empty plate to the sink. Daisy judged how quickly she could swipe his coffee mug and swallow a mouth full, then changed her mind as he turned back, picked up the mug and set it on the counter next to the stove as he began preparing breakfast for Melinda and Phil.

"Perhaps you would enjoy a motion picture today. The Tolkien film is now playing. I know you enjoy this series." The man suggested as he worked.

Daisy thought for a moment, remembering The Lord of the Rings⁴ trilogy. The Sister's at St. Agnes absolutely forbid any of the children to see it. She could never understand why. She did get to see it years later on DVD courtesy of one, Jemma Simmons. It was a movie night on the Bus and she found the series in Jemma's collection. She'd watched it twice. Now, this man, William May, Skye's…no her grandfather was offering, out of the clear blue, to take her to see it. These memories were great, but they also reminded her of what kind of life she would have had if that insane maniac hadn't kidnapped her all those years ago.

It was a great invitation, but she needed to fix this situation and she couldn't do that sitting in the dark munching on popcorn. Yes, it was tempting but this was not reality and that was where she needed to go.

"I don't think we should leave mommy and daddy all alone, Yeye, do you?" She played innocent.

William continued working on his omelets. "I am sure they can take care of each other." He seemed to laugh under his breath.

Daisy grimaced. Was her grandfather making some sort of innuendo about her parents spending the day in bed? 'Oh, yuck!' She screamed in her mind. She finished her omelet, stood and carried her plate to the sink, gently placing it inside. She moved next to her grandfather and rested her back against the cabinets. She picked at the sparkly owl on the front of her PJ top and wriggled her bare toes on the warm floor.

"Maybe…since mommy and daddy are so tired and going to sleep all day…just maybe you could let me use my new laptop a little bit." She asked quietly, without looking up at her grandfather.

William shook his head. "I wondered when this question would be asked. I am certain your mother told you that you are forbidden to have this piece of technology until she feels you have earned it." He almost laughed as Skye slumped against the counter and dropped her arms to her sides.

"Yeye, I just need it, really. I do. Just for a little while, Yeye. Please." Daisy couldn't believe she was begging a man who just kept working and smiling.

"Your grandfather has given his answer, Skye." Melinda stood in the doorway, her right arm wrapped around her left hip. She moved carefully into the kitchen and sat at the table.

"Nǐ yīnggāi zài chuángshàng, nǚ'ér. Nǐ shòushāngle nǐ xūyào zhìyù" William scolded his daughter for being out of bed.

"Wǒ hěn hǎo, bàba. Wǒ wúfǎ zhìyù shuōhuǎng, shénme dōu bù zuò." Melinda informed him she would not get better doing nothing. "Besides, who would make sure Skye would do as she was told."

Daisy hung her head, refusing to look at her mother. She turned up one side of her face. She'd never had such a difficult time getting around the authorities to get what she wanted.

"Morning, sweet pickle." Phil's voice sounded as normal as ever as he ruffled her hair and reached over her for a mug which he filled with coffee and carried to the table. He winked at Skye as she peered up at him over her brows as he took her glass of milk and dumped it into his coffee.

Melinda sat with her hands folded on the table and watched the exchange between her daughter and Phil. She shook her head slightly and nodded toward the chair next to her. Daisy dragged herself to the table and dropped onto the chair, not really ready for yet another lecture. She folded her arms over her chest and refused to look up.

"First, you need to lose the attitude," Melinda began, letting out a long breath. She nodded a thank you to her father as he set a cup of tea in front of her.

Daisy let out her own long breath and let her arms drop, but still stared at the tabletop.

"Bàba, qǐng gěi Skye lìng yībēi niúnǎi." Melinda spoke to her father, but looked at her daughter.

Phil passed the empty glass to William who filled it with milk a second time. He made a 'sorry' face at his little girl as her grandfather once again set the glass in front of her. She frowned and glared at her mother.

"Wǒ bùxiǎng yào zhège." Daisy informed her mother, gently pushing the glass away.

Melinda just as gently pushed it back. "Perhaps you would prefer something else?" May's voice was not suggesting an alternative beverage.

"Well, I might like it with a nice cup of coffee and a lot of sugar." Daisy did little to hide the snarky tone to her voice.

Phil almost choked as he stifled the laugh that almost escaped. He peered at Skye over the edge of his own mug.

May drummed her fingers on the table and took a slow breath. "Drink your milk and go to your room, Skye." She spoke calmly but her voice was stern.

"Wha…I just…come on…" Daisy was having a very hard time with May's authority, which was not unlike the young girl but totally out of character for Skye. She slapped her hands down on the edge of the table and crinkled her face into a mini-May glare. Again, Phil found the situation more amusing than Melinda allowed. He covered his amusement with another gulp of coffee.

"Attitude, Skye," Melinda warned.

Daisy opened her mouth to ask 'what about it' but thought better and snapped it shut. She simply stared back at her mother. May was treating her like a child and she was getting pretty tired of it, even if she was a child.

"Drink your milk and go to you room." Melinda directed a second time.

"I don't want it." Daisy repeated pushed the glass away a bit harder than she intended. It tipped before she could catch it sending its contents across the table top. Daisy sprang to her feet pushing her chair back in the process. Phil and William jumped to wipe it before it reached the floor, while May calmed herself.

"To your room, right now," she spoke through her teeth and glared at the child standing a few feet away.

Daisy stood for a heartbeat then turned and ran from the room, up the stairs and into the temporary sanctuary of her room. She knew May would not be far behind.

Melinda took a sip of her tea and for the moment ignored the two men waiting for her to make a move. She breathed slowly then set the delicate cup back down on the saucer. Phil sat back down and waited as William placed plates in front of them both. The men listened to the uncomfortable silence in the kitchen for two minutes before the woman was able to speak.

"She is ten years old. I thought we had a few more years before we would have to deal with puberty and its sarcasm. On the other hand, it gives me time to put a stop to it before it gets any worse." She picked up her fork and enjoyed the vegetable omelet her father had prepared.

Phil stared for a moment then looked to William who simply nodded and poured himself another cup of coffee.

xx

Daisy paced the room for a few minutes, gnawing on her thumbnail and trying to come up with a legitimate reason for losing her mind and daring to sass Melinda Mommy May. At twenty minutes she decided to get dressed and take her chances. She peeked out the door at thirty minutes. At forty she slipped into the bathroom to wash and brush her teeth and at almost one hour she snuck to the top of the stairs and just listened to the hum of conversation coming from the kitchen. When May's voice grew louder…closer…she skirted back into the bedroom and quietly closed the door. She stood just inside and listened to her mother climb the stairs and approach. She backed up expecting the door to open and emit a very angry May but she continued down the hall and entered her own room. Daisy considered breathing a sigh of relief but didn't want to jinx herself.

Five minutes later a fully dressed May stepped into the room. Daisy swallowed hard…

When it was over she stood in front of Melinda and wiped away the tears she promised herself she would not shed but hell, May's hand was a like a paddle and she didn't hold back. Daisy tried to rub the sting off her posterior but was sure she could feel the heat radiating right through her jeans.

"I hope whatever has gotten into you in the past few days is done, Skye because I do not want to revisit this." Melinda spoke softly as she pulled the little girl's hands into her own. Daisy kept her gaze to the floor and shook her head, then nodded not really sure which answer was the right one.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, watching Melinda's hands entwine with her own. She'd been smacked around a lot in her reality childhood. Once a foster father slapped her so hard on the side of the head that her ear rang for three days and another one pushed her down the cellar steps because she was crying. She got laced with a belt once and had stripes across her thighs for weeks. But she never had anyone talk to her like this, not after peppering her backside like May just did.

"No, you're not," Melinda smiled as she tucked a few stray hairs behind Skye's ear. Daisy picked up her head and looked into her mother's eyes. "You're saying that because you've got a sore bottom right now, not because you regret your actions." Daisy didn't answer, but she wondered how May knew exactly what she was thinking. "I am not sorry either. You deserved that spanking, Skye. Your behavior has been horrible and I don't understand why. I don't think you do either."

Daisy chewed her bottom lip. She knew she was angry and a bit scared and really hated this situation, but she couldn't tell May that. Hell, she wouldn't believe her anyway. Why make things worse? Anyway, it was kind of a mystery why she kept pushing her luck with May since she landed here in Skye's body. It was almost like she was daring her mother to take some kind of action. How weird was that?

"I want to be sorry." Daisy sniffed a few times and changed her comment.

Melinda smiled and gathered her little girl into a hug. "I know you do baobei." She kissed Skye's forehead and held her close for a few seconds. Daisy relaxed into the hug. Maybe May wasn't sorry, but she forgave her anyway.

"Why don't you go into the bathroom and wash your face?" She kissed the little girl again. "Then I want you to stay in your room."

Daisy let out a small sigh and played with a button on May's denim shirt. "I'm still punished?" She almost whispered.

"Just a little bit," May smiled as she felt the girl pout. "I want to talk to Daddy for a little bit." She gently pushed the little girl to stand and brushed the last of her tears off her cheeks. "Just a bit, I promise. Now go." She walked Skye to the hallway and pointed her toward the bathroom sending her off with a tap to her backside.

Daisy scowled at her mother for a second before slightly smiling and hurrying on her way to do as she was told.

xx

"I can't believe it," Phil almost laughed as he reached to the top shelf and brought down the prized laptop. "Melinda May is giving in, crumbling under pressure."

"I am doing no such thing." Melinda narrowed her eyes. "I simply feel she has been punished enough. It was the one thing she begged us for, Phil and I kept thinking about what would have happened if we didn't get back. God, Phil you know how close we came…" She stopped for a moment unable to swallow the lump in her throat. Phil set the box on the nearest chair and gathered her gently into his arms.

"But, we did, Mel. We made it. We're here, safe…maybe not so sound, but safe in our own home with our daughter. Don't go there Mel, don't imagine what could have happened." He held her close and kissed her softly.

"We made it through hell to get back to her and come home to shouting and temper tantrums and end up tanning her backside for the second time in her life." Melinda almost sobbed into her chest.

Phil smirked, "twice in ten years isn't really a bad average."

Melinda gently swatted his chest. "That's two times too many, Phil."

He swayed back and forth to an unheard melody. "Are you saying she didn't deserve it." She merely glared at him. He smiled. "I thought so. I mean she was a little over the top."

"A _little_?" Melinda's eyebrows shot up.

Phil laughed silently. "Guess she won't try that again."

Now Melina laughed. "I think we might be in for a rough ride, daddy. But, like I said she's been punished enough so let's let her have that damn laptop.

xx

"Skye!" Melinda called from the bottom of the staircase. "Skye, come down here please. Your father and I want to talk to you."

Oh, that was ominous. Daisy pushed herself up off the bed and once again massaged her still tender backside. Apparently spankings at ten were a lot more intense than those at five because she did not remember it lasting this long the last time. Last time…last time Coulson said he was upset with her and that he should probably just give her a second dose of May's medicine, but he didn't. What if this time he…no Coulson would never, ever do that…would he? She hesitated at the door.

"Skye?" Melinda's voice came again, causing Daisy to jump.

"Coming!" she called as she hurried into the hallway and down the stairs.

May was waiting at the bottom. She reached out her hand and took Skye's then led her to the kitchen. Phil was there, sitting at the table, smiling at them as they approached. He opened his arms inviting her into a hug which she hurried into."

"Hey, sweet pickle, how ya doing, huh?" He hugged her tightly and gently patted her backside.

Skye squirmed a little but hugged him back. "I'm not a pickle." She remembered Skye's token answer to her father's corny greeting. For a few moments she just snuggled into his embrace, wishing she could have this safety, this total feeling of protection and love all the time. She'd wanted to do this since the day she returned to the base, the day that stupid fireworks place exploded and he looked at her like he wanted to thrash her and then hug so tight it would take her breath away. The beating would have been worth it. She would have taken it just to fall into that embrace. He looked at her and she at him, both wanting the same thing but neither allowing themselves to have it. If…no when, when she straighten this mess out she was going to tell him, tell him what she should have done, tell him she would never hesitate again. Never.

"Are you mad at me, daddy?" Daisy asked from inside his embrace, already tearing up in fear of his answer.

He didn't answer right away and that made it worse. Daisy squeezed her eyes shut causing the tears to dribble over her cheeks. "Hmmm," she felt the rumble in his chest and tried to stifle a sob. "Hey, hey…" Phil crooned as he moved her out enough to look into her face. He wiped the tears away with his thumb. "Hey, no more tears. I am not angry, Skye. I'm not really happy with the way you've been acting or how you spoke to your mother, but I'm not angry, no angel eyes. Not anymore."

"I'm really sorry, daddy. I really am, really." She sobbed again and quickly wiped the tears with her hands. She looked at her mother who gave an approving nod telling her that yes, now she believed she was sorry."

Phil pulled her closed and hugged her again. "I know you're sorry, Skye. I know."

Daisy hugged him tighter and told herself that he didn't know, that he would never know just how sorry she was for so much. "I love you, daddy." She whispered so softly she knew he did not hear. He just held her for what seemed like an hour when it was only a few minutes and let her cry. Then took out his handkerchief and dried her tears.

"Better?" He asked and she nodded. He kissed her forehead and she didn't even remember being pulled onto his lap. She rested her head against his shoulder and took a deep calming breath. Melinda stood in front of them with her hands folded in front of her.

"Daddy and I have had a long talk and we've decided to let you have your laptop." Melinda began.

Daisy wiped her eyes again and jumped to her feet. "Really?" She squealed, grabbing May's hand then turning back to Phil. "Really, really?"

Phil nodded. "Really."

Melinda squeezed her daughter's hand. "Really."

Phil stood and took Skye's other hand. They walked to the small alcove that Skye usually used to do homework. There on the small desk was the coveted laptop. Set up and working. Daisy's heart soared, finally a chance to put things right. She couldn't keep herself from bouncing up and down. She hugged and kissed both parents repeatedly then ran her hand lovingly over the keyboard.

Phil went into a lengthy conversation about using the computer, about safety and things she was not allowed to do. He explained to her that there were safety measures on the laptop and that she had permission to use the internet but there were sites she was not allowed to view. He went on and on and she had to swallow her laughter at Coulson explaining computer lingo to her. Finally, he was finished and allowed her to sit in front of it and 'feel' her way around the system and the machine.

Melinda informed her she had two hours to use her prize and two hours only. Putting up a fuss would mean less time later. Later? She did say later. She could have two more hours after supper but none before bedtime. Daisy nodded her agreement. From what she'd seen in her quick exploration it would take very little time to get through the net nannies and once she started searching for Fitz's signal she could let the program run even if the machine was 'sleeping'.

Daisy wrapped her arms around her mother and hugged gently then did the same with her father. She had two hours to get started and she didn't plan on wasting a second of it…even if she had to sit on a large pillow to do so.

She hoped Skye was faring better than she was and that the little girl was stuck in her adult body in the care of May and Coulson…not drifting around in cyber space.

¹Sit up, granddaughter. This is not good for your spine.

²I'd rather have coffee.

³You know coffee is not for little girls. Drink your juice.

⁴The Lord of the Rings, film, Peter Jackson, New Line Cinema, J.R.R. Tolkien, 2002


	23. 23 - Nothin' But Blue Skye, Do I See

**Chapter 23**

 **Nothin' But Blue Skye Do I See**

"Why do I hafta stay here?" Skye whined as Coulson and May stacked breakfast dishes to be cleared from the White Room. Skye had given this Cage that name and it stuck. It seemed appropriate, after all telling the little girl (who was really not little) she had to stay in the _cage_ seemed cruel.

"Because this is the safest place for you," May simply stated. It was a fact. Skye was safer here in this room than anywhere else on the base and if her powers did resume, it was the safest place for everyone else as well. May remembered those first few days when Daisy, then Skye, had discovered those powers and how much fear had swept through the base. She remembered too, the panic her young protégé had experienced and hell, she was a full grown…both physically and mentally…adult at the time. She couldn't imagine how a ten year old would react to being the cause of seismic energy, smashing glass and toppling shelves, furniture and whatever the hell else was in her path. Nope, May was not taking that chance with her kid's life…not now…now when she was ten or twenty or ever. As far as Melinda May was concerned it was a closed subject.

Coulson? Not so much. "Well, maybe you can have lunch in the common room with everyone else." He did not miss his partner's sharp glare. Yep, daggers…she was throwing mental daggers at him. He smiled at the young girl looking up at him from her seat on the floor. "But, that's only if you follow the rules and do as you're told all morning."

Skye looked at her father and then at her mother's stern scowl. "There's nothing to do here. It's really boring." She grumbled as she tossed her head back against the bed she'd been leaning against.

"Well, maybe we can think of something." Coulson offered, reaching out a hand to help her to her feet.

"You can start by getting in that bathroom, cleaning up and brushing your teeth. Simmons is bringing some clean clothes from your…Daisy's room. No sense hanging around in pajamas all day." May added as she pointed toward the now open lavatory door.

Skye scrunched up one side of her face and folded her arms over her chest in a nonverbal challenge to her mother's order.

"Attitude? Really?" May scoffed. "Move." She ordered with a bit more authority and the girl let out a huff before dragging herself to complete the tasks. Lucky for her it was not possible to slam the door that automatically closed behind her. May considered following, never too big for an attitude adjustment. She remembered pulling something similar with her mother when she was about fourteen. It didn't end well. In fact it wasn't very pretty, just very embarrassing. It only happened once. Melinda May was stubborn but not stupid. She'd let it go…this time, besides she was angrier with her partner than she was with her daughter.

Before she could voice her protest, Coulson raised a hand. "We can't keep her in this room forever." He stated with a shrug.

"And we can't let her just roam all over the base, even if it weren't currently a pile of rubble. It's too dangerous for all of us." May shouted in a hoarse whisper.

Coulson shook his head. "Fitz is positive she has no power, she would have shown something by now."

"It's not just that and you know it. She does not need to see what's out there. There is no way for her to understand this and no way for us to explain it to her. How the hell is a ten year old supposed to understand that not only is she a spy but lives in a base full of them? Damn it, Phil we're all spies…spies on the run as well. We're hiding here in plain sight being protected by a screwball military moron that just woke up from a coma two weeks ago. And the whole damn world thinks she," she pointed toward the closed bathroom door. "That _she_ shot him!" She took a breath and raised her eyebrows at the man who did not respond. "How do we explain all of that to a kid living inside an adult's body that somehow slipped out of a computer program where she exists only as a bunch of….no as two stupid numbers repeating themselves over and over and over? Damn it, Phil, Fitz can't even explain it and he created the friggin' thing!"

Coulson turned down the sides of his mouth and took a deep breath. "Well, when you put it like that…" He just looked at her with that helpless expression she hated. "But, she's right, Mel, there's nothing for her to do here and we both know that when she's bored she can be more than trouble." He smiled again.

May shook her head and wondered why it was taking their daughter so long to accomplish the few simple things she'd been sent to do, but gave her the benefit of the doubt and a few more minutes before she knocked on that door. Converting the screen to television was not a good idea. Who knew what the kid would see there or how quickly she would figure out just how to switch from station to station. She supposed Fitz could rig up some sort of video games for her but again she wasn't sure of Skye's computer abilities. What if the kid got into something she shouldn't, like that damn program next door? Fitz assured her it was well protected but hell, this was Skye or Daisy or Skidaisy and May knew that kid was capable of hacking into pretty much anything hackable and definitely anything unhackable. What the hell did kids like to do anyway? Maybe they could get her some games or toys or music or something to pass the time, but she was staying put, right here in this room for as long as it took Fitz to fix this mess.

A soft tap at the door stopped May from continuing. The door opened admitting a cheery Simmons who carried a small stack of clothing topped with a pair of bright pink sneakers that sported sparkly silver laces. She set her offering on the bed and turned to the other agents.

"So how is our guest this morning?" She smiled.

"Pink, Simmons, pink?" May held up one sneaker between her fingers and grimaced.

"Well, basic black is fine for you and your genetic copy, but I think our present tween might like something a little brighter." Jemma explained taking the shoe and placing it next to its mate.

"Then you better have a pair of sunglasses in that pile." May scoffed. "Where the hell did you get these anyway?" Was it possible that May almost laughed?

Simmons ignored the flush across her cheeks. "Well, actually they're mine, but I've never worn them. Just a bit of impulse buying I suppose. It would seem rather silly having them just collect dust, so I thought our Skye would enjoy them." She played with one of the sparkly laces as she spoke.

"And she'll love them, I'm sure," Coulson interjected before May could respond. "She's been in that bathroom for a while. Doesn't seem it should take that long just to wash up and brush your teeth, or is it a girl kinda thing?" He wondered out loud.

May tried to suppress the growl she felt growing across her face then walked to the door and knocked, knowing full well that her palm print would override any lock the girl inside might have secured. "D…Skye, what's going on?" She had a hard time keeping the frustration from her voice, despite her effort to contain it.

Simmons stepped next to her and tapped lightly. "Skye, sweetheart, is everything alright?"

The women exchanged glances when no answer came from within. May raised her hand to release the door but Jemma caught her wrist and held up a finger for her to wait. She knocked again, just a little harder. "Skye, if you aren't going to come out, then you're mum is coming inside. Is that okay?"

May rolled her eyes at Jemma's request for permission.

"I…I can't come out." Skye's voice was shaky. "I think the bathroom is broken, but I didn't do it." She sounded scared.

Jemma scrunched up her face in confusion.

"Broken?" May repeated. "Now what?" She ignored Jemma's 'wait' motion and slammed her palm against the lock releasing the door with a soft swoosh. Water dribbled over the threshold into the room. "What the hell?" May gaped as she peered into the room.

Everything dripped, the ceiling, fixtures, commode, shelves and towel racks were soaked. An ankle deep puddle covered the floor and leaked out across the tiled floor. Skye stood in the center of the small room. Water dripped from her hair and chin. Her drenched clothing clung to her body. The tears running over her cheeks were her own. "I just turned it on to brush my teeth and…and it just came out and I tried to make it stop…but it just came out everywhere then it just stopped and…"

May closed her eyes and let out a soft breath. Jemma laughed a small laugh and reached for the soaking wet girl. Coulson moved closer to get a better look at the scene.

"Don't be upset, Skye," Jemma crooned as she took the girl's hand and helped her out of the bathroom. "We've been having some plumbing issues and well, I guess this room is not as ready as we assumed it was."

Skye looked from one parent to the other. "I'm sorry, Daddy." She chewed her bottom lip and waited for their reaction.

Coulson stood in the doorway and peered at the ceiling. He stepped back and waited for May to join him before he pushed the door closed and let out a small huff. "Well, I guess that changes things, doesn't it?" He looked at May who rolled her eyes and shook her head. He leaned closer to her and spoke softly. "She can't stay here, May, not now." He motioned toward the door with his head.

"Are there any other rooms we can use, Simmons?" May addressed her without turning from Coulson.

Jemma stood with a shivering Skye. "We've got to get her out of these wet clothes. The poor thing is soaked to the skin. Why didn't you open the door, Skye?"

"It wouldn't w-work," the girl answered through chattering teeth.

"Why didn't you knock?" Coulson wondered.

"I d-did." Skye shivered as Jemma pulled the blanket from the bed and wrapped it around her.

Coulson and May exchanged glances. They'd been arguing and hadn't heard the girl's knocking. He moved close to his daughter and wrapped an arm around her shoulders rubbing briskly up and down. "I'm sorry, angel, we didn't' hear you." Skye offered a weak smile.

"That water was r-really c-cold." She shivered into his embrace as he tried to help warm her.

"Okay, let's go." May took the girl by the arm, wrapping her fingers in the blanket that covered her. "Simmons, bring those clothes." She nodded toward the pile that had fallen to the floor. Coulson took a step to follow. "Go see how Fitz is doing. I'm taking her to my room. I've got a tub and she needs a hot

bath to get this chill out."

Coulson gave a quick nod and watched as the women made their way into the hall.

xx

The hot water in May's tub combined with lavender bath salts helped to relax the child presently residing in Daisy's body. She sunk down to her ears as the shivers left her body and it filled with warmth. This was great. A hot bath and escape from that terrible white room. Mommy's bunk…that's what they called these little spaces…was dark like Daisy's but a lot neater. Everything was put away on shelves and probably in drawers. The bathroom was a lot smaller than the one in the white room and the doors and water worked like it did at home. She liked it here.

"Here you go, sweetheart," Jemma's soft voice brought her from her thoughts. "Nice fresh towels and clean dry clothing when you've warmed up enough to get out."

Skye turned to the side of the tub and rested her chin on the back of her hand. "Do I have to go back to the white room? I don't like it there. It's creepy, like all the feelings were sucked out of it."

"It's a-sensory," Jemma explained as she turned to leave. "It helps people to stay calm."

Skye rolled back to her former position and sighed. "It didn't make me be calm. It made me be scared. I like this room a lot better. Do you put prisoners in there? Do you use it to punish bad people? Was I punished?" She stared at Jemma waiting for answer.

Jemma thought for a moment about how to explain to the child without giving away too much information. "No, no that's not the purpose and you were certainly not being punished. You see we try to help people here and sometimes they have very large _changes_ in their…lives and it helps them to accept those changes if there isn't a lot of sensory overload."

Skye looked confused. This doctor lady used a lot of big words that just made no sense to her. "You mean like if they have an accident? My friend, James' dad got in an accident. His leg got cut off and he had to stay in a prefab place for a long time. Is that what this place is?"

"I think you mean 'rehab', sweetheart." Jemma smiled as she corrected the girl. "I guess you could say we do something like that, just on an extended level. Sometimes people change on the inside or in their minds and they need help too."

"Like they go all crazy?" Skye's eyebrows shot up.

Jemma looked out of the door, checking on May who seemed to be rearranging the room for Skye's stay. She looked back to the girl in the tub and pulled the door close to her chest. "No, not crazy…just uncomfortable with what's happening to them. We keep them here until…until they fell better or need more care from more capable doctors.

Skye still looked confused. She shrugged her shoulders and sunk further into the hot water.

Jemma smiled. "Don't stay in there too long. You'll get all pruney."

Skye closed her eyes and nodded, refusing to give up such a luxury.

"Well, I suppose you _can_ just stay there until your mother comes to fetch you." Jemma laughed as the girl slid sideways and almost dunked herself. "A few more minutes then," she nodded and Skye nodded back.

Ten minutes later Skye was pulling on the hot pink sneakers. "These are the best, Jemma." She had become comfortable with the young doctor. "I wish I had a pair just like them." She tied the lace and stuck out her legs to admire the footwear. "I've never even seen sneakers like these anywhere. The kids at school…" She stopped suddenly, realizing she probably wouldn't ever see those kids again. Her face turned dark as she sulked back onto the bed and sighed.

Jemma sat down next to her and patted her hand. "I bet if I talk to Fitz he can work out some way for you to have a pair just like them when you get home."

Skye watched the doctor's hand comfort hers. "Do you think I'll ever get there…back to my mommy…" She looked up quickly at May who stood watching them. "I mean my other mommy who's taking care of Daisy for you." She quickly brushed away the tear that rolled over her eye. "I don't even know how I got here. How am I gonna get back?" She looked from Jemma to May and then back, waiting for an answer.

May sat down on the opposite side of the girl and took her hand in hers. "First thing, baobei, I _am_ your mom, your one and only mom, the same one who is taking care of Daisy who is probably just as confused about this whole thing as you are." She squeezed the girl's hand just a little. "Simmons and I aren't really sure how you got here, but Fitz is very, very smart…"

"A genius, actually," Simmons added.

"Yes," May agreed. "And he's going to find out what happened and then you and Daisy will be back in your own places. I promise." She smiled at the girl who nodded slightly and rested her head against her shoulder. May placed a soft kiss on her daughter's forehead and wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders.

Jemma swiped at the tear that threatened to fall from her own eye.

May held her child for a few minutes, until she was sure the girl was secure. "Okay, Skye, Dr. Simmons and I have to get to work and you are going to stay right here. I've sent out one of my ag…sistants to get you some books and things to do, at least until lunch time. Then we'll think about having you join us in the common room."

"I have to stay here, all alone?" Skye used that familiar whine. "There's nobody to talk to or do anything with me."

"It's only a few hours." Jemma reminded her. "You could read a whole book in that time or do a complete jigsaw." The doctor sounded excited for her.

Skye flopped back on the mattress and slapped her feet on floor. "That's no fun. I don't wanna read, it's like school stuff." She threw her arms over her eyes.

"That's not a bad idea," May thought. "We can give you some school work to do. It'll keep you busy for the morning."

Skye groaned. "I think it's Christmas vacation. I'm not supposed to have homework. It's a holiday."

"It's August," May informed her.

"Not at my house," she spoke through her folded arms.

"You'll be fine." Jemma assured her as she patted her knee and walked toward the door.

"Remember, Skye, you stay right here." May reminded her as she opened the door and waited for Jemma to exit before she stepped out and pulled the door closed. It made no sense to lock it since it would always open from the inside.

"Rats," Skye huffed as she flopped her arms out on either side and stared at the ceiling. "Now, I'm stuck in this black room. It's like being grounded for nothing." She rolled over on her stomach and rested her chin on her folded arms. Her feet dangled over the edge of the bed and she kicked them to an unheard rhythm.

She didn't want to read dumb books or do stupid little kid puzzles. She wondered about that laptop her parents had given her. Daisy was getting to use it. She was getting to play great games and send messages to friends and well, probably not too much internet stuff cuz daddy would have some kind of block on it but still it was better than books and puzzles.

She turned her head and looked at the pillows at the top of the bed, suddenly remembering Ling-a-ling. She'd left the little dog in the white room. What if they came to fix the water thing and he got lost or thrown away? What if the water filled up the room and he just floated down some drain? Skye sat up and stared at the door. She wondered if it was locked. She could just slip out and back to that room, grab Ling-a-ling and be back before anyone noticed. There was no magic window camera here so nobody could watch her.

Skye turned the knob on the door and smiled when it clicked open. She pulled it toward her and peeked into the hall, expecting to see that lady soldier who tried to stop her when she made Daisy sleepwalk. It was gloomy and had a lot of junk all over it but there was nobody guarding her. That meant mommy trusted her to stay put and breaking that trust was sad, but necessary. She had to rescue Ling-a-ling. Mommy had to understand that. It was an emergency. She stepped into the hall and pulled the door closed with a resounding click.

"Uh oh," Skye cringed as she turned back and tried the knob a second time. Now it was locked and she was definitely on the wrong side.

Well, she'd just grab her stuffed dog and be back before whoever was bringing the dumb books and things and get back in then. Maybe whoever it was would be nice enough not to tell on her.

Skye stood for a moment trying to remember how she'd gotten to this room. She had that blanket tucked up around her head on the trip to mommy's room. It was hard to see which way they went and all these hallways kinda looked the same, especially with all the rubble lying around. She turned left and walked the length of the hall then turned left again. It was her only choice. She went a short distance before coming to another junction. To the left was a very long dark hallway and she couldn't remember anywhere being that black. To the right was a flight of stairs that led down into an equally dark pit…well, it looked like a pit. Nope, she wasn't going in either of those directions and promptly turned back the way she came.

This looked a little familiar, well at least better than the other way. She picked her way down the hall listening for the sound of anyone who might be nearby. What a place. It didn't seem any better in the daytime than it was during the middle of the night. This hall had no turns so it was easy to just keep walking to the end and then turned right because that's the way the hall went. They had to come this way. There was no other way to get to that room. About a hundred feet further was a long ramp that lead down into a well lit arch. Skye looked back over her shoulder and took a deep breath before heading down. At the bottom she stopped and looked at the three hallways that split off from the main hall. One was pitch black and filled with lots of boxes. The second was lit but only went a little way before being blocked by a lot of what looked like big rocks. The third was the longest and had a lot of those white doors. One door was open just a little and she could hear muffled voices coming from it. Skye figured she was in the right place.

If the voices coming from that room where her parents and the two doctors then one of the doors on either side was the weird white room. Skye heard Jemma say she was next door to where Fitz was working on getting her back home. She tiptoed to the first door, the one before the room where the people were talking. It had one of those lock things like the funny bathroom had, just a black panel with a green line in the center. She had to put her hand on the bathroom panel to open it but this was different. You probably had to be a doctor or some boss kinda person to get the door to open for you.

She looked at her hand and shrugged her shoulders. Placing her hand on the panel caused the green line to move up and down. She pulled her hand back and the line stopped in the center again. She put her hand against it again and again the line moved. She pulled her hand away a second time and watched as the line went immediately back to the center. She took a deep breath. Green was good, right? It meant go. Maybe the line turned red if you did something wrong, so yeah, green was a good thing. Skye put her hand on the panel a third time and the light ran up and down several times. The door started to open but it stopped and bumped a few times before it closed and the line went back to the center of the panel. She tried again and got the same result. Maybe it was broken or one of those big rocks was stuck in there. In either case this was not the right room.

Skye listened to the voices that sounded like they might be arguing but sometimes adults just talked like that because they were all talking at the same time and nobody was listening. She moved slowly toward the noise staying close to the wall, stopping right were the door went into the room. She peeked through the jamb at the four people inside. Her mom and dad stood with Jemma behind the one they called Fitz. He was sitting in front of the biggest computer she'd ever seen. The screen in front of him was full of little wiggly numbers going around and around. Fitz was saying something about them but she really couldn't understand all the words he was using and anyway he talked kinda funny. It didn't matter, nobody was looking so she slipped past the door and made her way to the next one.

The same black panel was built into the wall next to this door, with the same green line across its center. She gently placed her hand on it and watched the line move until the lock clicked and the door opened. It was the right room. The dishes from breakfast were still on the small table and Ling-a-ling was upside-down hanging over the side of the bed near the pillows. She scrambled into the room, grabbed the little dog and hurried back into the hall, afraid the door would close itself and lock her inside. Letting out a relieved breath she palmed the panel and watched as the door closed without a sound.

Getting past the next door was going to be a little more difficult since she couldn't peek inside this time. She stopped just outside and listened to the conversation that continued.

"I just don't know," the voice had to be Fitz because it sounded funny and she knew it wasn't daddy. "I don't know if she's there or if she'll even realize I'm trying to contact her."

"Then just send us back in and we'll get her." That was daddy, but he sounded scared. She paused to listen more carefully.

"And if she's not there, then what?" The Fitz doctor sounded scared too.

"She has to be there." It was mommy and she sounded worse than anyone. "I can't lose her again." Her voice wasn't scared it was sad, really sad. It made Skye sad to hear her talk that way.

"If we send Skye in we may lose them both. There will be no one there for her to assume, no avatar for her to become. She'd just cease to exist. They both would." Jemma shook her head.

Skye hugged the little dog to her chest. Now she was scared, more scared than she'd been before. Were they talking about Daisy? Was Daisy gone? How could someone cease to exist? Did that mean she was dead? Was she going to die too? Where did they want to send her? Why was mommy afraid of losing…of losing who…her…Daisy? Did she love Daisy more?

"We aren't sending anyone anywhere until we're sure and there's no way to be sure." Fitz almost growled, having said it more than enough times. "It's not like some bloody television program that I can tune into and watch the action. It's simply a program that runs inside the computer. It only exists inside the computer. None of it is real and yet here we have this…this cyber kid who's somehow bounced into reality. I can't even explain that much. It shouldn't be happening. It shouldn't be real. She shouldn't be real."

"Fitz, you've spoken with her, seen her and heard her. You know she's real. Skye is right here with us and she is a very frightened and confused little girl." Jemma argued gently.

Fitz stood and paced away from the group and then turned back. "But, it just isn't possible."

"We've established that fact, several times." May growled. "Stop repeating yourself and do something about it. We need to put that kid back before something else happens."

"And get Daisy back in the process…" Coulson added.

Fitz shook his head. "We may have to face the fact that this is the Daisy we have now. There is no other."

May stepped forward and leveled a finger at him. "That kid is not Daisy. Skye is…she's a kid that needs to get back to her own reality. She needs you to put her there and stop using your guilt or your fear or whatever the hell it is that's keeping you from doing your job and put this right. Skye can't stay here. It isn't safe for her and you know that as well as we do, probably better than we do."

Fitz rubbed his thumb into the palm of the opposite hand. He knew. He knew exactly what she meant. Skye existed as part of his program and that could not run indefinitely. If there was a power surge or if those who searched for them stormed the base and cut the power, the program would terminate and the girl would cease to exist. He wasn't sure what would happen to Daisy at that point. She might just fall into some endless coma, if she didn't just die from the lack of…of herself? And if by some miracle their Daisy was lost somewhere in the program she would certainly die if it terminated. He was racing the clock and he knew it. Yet his uncertainty was holding him back, preventing him from saving the girl he thought of as a kid sister.

"Fitz?" Coulson attempted to gain the young man's attention. "Fitz," he shook his shoulder but Fitz merely stared into the screen a few feet away.

"He understands, Agent Coulson. He knows if he makes the slightest mistake it could kill both of them. I don't think it's a risk he's willing to take. I don't think he could handle the loss. I don't think any of us could." Jemma spoke quietly as she placed a hand on Fitz's opposite shoulder and squeezed gently.

Skye gasped at the idea of anyone being killed. She wanted to run but was frozen in place. This Fitz person was the one who was suppose to get her home but that could kill her _and_ Daisy?

May held up at hand at the soft sound, motioning for everyone to stop, to be silent. She moved stealthily toward the door, pushing it open and stepping out ready to take on whoever was eavesdropping. She dropped her stance immediately.

"Skye!" She barked. "What the hell?" May grabbed the girl's upper arm and shook her harshly.

Coulson stepped into the hall. "Skye? What are you doing here?" He asked softly as he laid his hand on top of May's."

"I told you to stay put!" May growled at the horrified girl. Coulson rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand and gently slipped it from Skye's arm.

"I…I…j-just…Ling-a-ling…" Skye stammered, motioning with the dog she still held close to her heart.

"Okay," Coulson smiled as May let out an angry breath. "How about we take old Ling-a-ling back to mommy's room and talk a little bit, just you and me and mommy. Okay?" He wasn't sure just how much the girl had overheard. He nodded toward Fitz and Simmons who stood just inside the room. They both stepped back and slowly closed the door.

Skye's eyes were wide with fear as she looked from Coulson to May and pulled back further into the wall. Coulson held out a hand and smiled. "Come on, angel, it's okay."

May had turned away, pulling back her anger and hating herself for scaring the kid yet again. She turned back and forced a smile she knew Skye would see right through. "It's okay baobei. I'm not mad."

"Where's Daisy?" Skye asked in a small voice. "Is she okay?"

Coulson and May looked at each other briefly then back at their mixed-up adult-child. May put out a hand. "We need to talk, měilì de nǚ'ér¹." She took Coulson's hand in the other and squeezed it tightly. "All of us, together."

Skye took a hesitant step as May led them toward the ramp that would take them back to her bunk. As they reached the bottom, Skye stopped and looked at both parents. She swallowed hard.

"Are…are…are you going to punish me for leaving the room?" She spoke quickly and waited for their answer.

May squeezed her hand gently and felt Coulson smile behind her. "We'll talk, baobei, we'll talk." She gently tugged the girl forward as they started up the ramp together.

¹beautiful daughter


	24. Chapter 24 - Out of Time, Out of Place

**Chapter 24**

 **Out of Time, Out of Place**

It took Daisy a little less than ten minutes to find and disable the 'net nanny' Coulson had someone load on her new laptop. Slightly more than thirty seconds later she had created a pseudo-nanny that would act just like the one she'd removed but in essence it would accomplish nothing but cover for her. A minute later she loaded a game she hadn't played in forever. It was called Escape. The premise was that the player was trapped in a deserted mansion and the goal was to get out by solving puzzles. It took forever when she was kid but it was a challenge and she knew Coulson would be sucked right into it if he were to peek over her shoulder. She had a one click sticky key to take her from the hack to the game and could flick back and forth in less than a blink.

Daisy did not disable the two hour alarm that was also part of the laptop. There was a small window that counted down the minutes and at zero point zero zero it would alert not only her but her parents that time was up. She left it in place for two reasons. She had no intention of trying May's patience or risking her strong handed discipline again and she certainly did not want to lose the prized computer she needed so desperately.

Finding a way to hack into Fitz's program was another story all together. Daisy had no problem finding several banking systems somehow existing in this coded reality. She couldn't understand why Fitz would feel the need for those let alone how he managed to sneak them into the program. She found Skye's school records as well and wondered if in fact schools had kept records in cyberspace way back when. Daisy had to admit she was impressed by her Fitzwork-self's grades. Of course, in her own defense, she'd never attended any school long enough to learn much or to be good at anything plus she had no one to encourage or support her efforts. Given Skye's grades in history she was sure Daddy Coulson had a giant park in that and her grades in science, math and language were comparable. In fact she was pretty much a B+/A student. Daisy was a bit jealous. She rarely managed a C+ and hardly ever a B, not that anyone ever cared one way or the other. She shrugged her shoulders and moved on to another site. Apparently having parents did make a big difference…well, good, caring parents…

Daisy searched, fished, scanned, surfed and lurked through an hour of programs but found no trace of what she thought might be Fitz's codes. She hadn't had this much trouble finding AIDA's nightmare scape. Why was this one so difficult? She let out a frustrated breath and quickly looked over her shoulder to locate her parents. Hopefully, they were getting that much needed rest Yeye had said they needed. Maybe they figured if they gave her the laptop she'd stay out of trouble long enough for them to relax.

A quick glance at her little red countdown clock told her she had forty-five minutes to find something…anything that might at least point her in the right direction. She drummed her fingers on the desk next to the keyboard and let out a long fluttery breath. Failure at anything cyber frustrated Daisy to the max and right now she was about ten paces past that level.

"Problems, sweet pickle?" Coulson's voice came from nowhere and caused her to jump with the surprise.

"I'm not a pickle." Daisy growled as she tapped her emergency key and popped back into the mansion labyrinth.

"Ooooo, you sound just like your mother," Phil chuckled as he pulled a kitchen chair next to his daughter. "Need some help?"

Daisy swallowed the amusement of Coulson helping her with anything computer related. Hell, the man couldn't even find the on switch. "No, no daddy….I…I'm good…really…" She made a great effort to look as if she was concentrating on the puzzle glaring on the screen. Daisy had completed the brainteasers on the basement and first floor levels of the mansion, just to make it look good. Now, on the second floor she stared at that damn pool tournament puzzle that always gave her problems. In fact she usually just gave up at this point. There are nine players in the tournament. Each player must play every other one. How many games will be played?

"Come on, kiddo, your old dad might not be a computer whiz but this I can do." He read the riddle/math problem on the screen. "This should be nothing for you, Skye. What's up?"

"I dunno," Daisy scrambled for an excuse. "I…I guess mommy scrambled my brains a little bit."

Phil smiled and tapped the little girl's nose. "Well, I've heard you called smarty pants many times, but I am pretty sure mommy impressed her opinion of your attitude quite a distance from your brain."

Daisy rolled her eyes. Coulson was corny in every reality. "I guess maybe I'm a little tired." She lied without looking at him. Lying to Coulson, in Daisy's mind was worse than mortal sin. It actually made her want to find the nearest confessional…which was probably one of the worst memories she had of St. Agnes'. Oh how she hated that weekly trek into the dark little closets in the quiet church to tell the Monsignor everything she did wrong in the last seven days. The man scared the bejeebers out of her and that creepy stained glass window that depicted St. Michael driving Lucifer into hell with some kind of spear poker thing was right over the dark cubicle. The eerie red-eyed devil's face was clear through the little opening at the top of the box. It terrified every kid that was forced into that particular tiny room and Sr. Regina made sure she was marched into it every Friday afternoon.

'Damn!' Daisy shook her head. This place brought back the screwiest memories. She hadn't thought about that place in forever.

Phil put a hand across the girl's forehead then pressed his lips to the same spot. 'Good god, he thinks I have a fever! That meant one thing…May and her damn awful thermometer…'

Daisy pulled away and grabbed his hand before he could get up to alert her mother. "No, daddy not that kind of tired. My…my eyes are just tired from the screen. Look…" she pointed to the little red numbers. "Only ten minutes left anyway. I'll just close everything and…and then me and you can find Yeye and play mahjong. Those new tiles are great." She looked at him with expectation. "You can even set up the first layout…okay?"

The man stared at the little girl for a moment then smiled. "Your mom's upstairs taking a little break, so you don't have to worry." Phil smiled, knowing exactly what his daughter was thinking. He didn't miss the look of relief that flooded over her countenance. "Yeye's gone to see Mr. Liu, but I'm sure he won't mind us using his tiles." He stood and looked down at Skye. "You finish what your doing and I'll be in the kitchen." He bent down and kissed the top of her head then took his chair and left her alone.

Daisy switched back to her search and quickly typed in a command for the computer to continue searching anything and everything that might be a way into Fitz's program. There was no way to message Fitz so she went old school and added nine digits of code in places that would hopefully catch his attention if it made its way into his program. Hacking out of a system was a hell of a lot different that hacking into one, like whoever did something like that anyway. Getting in was a breeze, getting out was a nightmare. Daisy crossed her fingers and said a silent prayer before tapping the enter key and watching her own code run in concentric circles around the screen. She masked it with a cute screen saver of a puppy sitting on Santa's lap that would run for about five minutes before the computer went to 'sleep' allowing her program to run without anyone noticing. She reluctantly walked away from the desk and into the kitchen.

xx

Daisy sat at the kitchen table with her head resting on her hand. She fingered the few mahjong tiles she had piled in front of her and swung her feet under the chair.

"It's your turn, Skye….Skye….hey, Skye," Phil's voice grew as he spoke stirring his young daughter out of her thoughts. He smiled when she looked up at him.

"Uh, oh, s-sorry." She sat up straight and stared at the tiles set in a pattern on the table. This was a game Skye played almost daily with her grandfather and strove to win every time. Daisy wasn't concentrating and Phil knew it.

"Not really interested, huh?" Phil remarked imitating her position with his chin resting on his hand.

"No, no…I was…just….just thinking, that's all." Daisy stammered as she tried to show interest. Phil shook his head and chuckled under his breath.

"Must be quite a problem to require that much thought," he grinned as she turned over two mismatched tiles. The little girl let out a frustrated breath and sat back on her chair with a huff. "Not paying attention can do that," Phil snickered as he turned over three matches in a row then purposely turned two tiles that did not match.

Daisy shook her head as she once again turned over a mismatch. She really was not in the mood for this game. Her mind was on the program she had running in the lap top she could see from where she sat. "You know, daddy, two hours is not a very long time to do anything on a computer. Sometimes it takes longer than that just to set up what you need."

"And how would a little bit like you know that, hmmm?" Phil wondered as he turned over four more matches before a mismatch.

Daisy let out a sigh and slouched in her seat, not taking her next turn. "I just know it takes a while to get to what you want and then to do it so two hours is not long enough." She gave him her most pitiful puppy dog eyes.

"Bargaining for more time, huh? You're lucky you're mother let you have that laptop at all after the hard time you've been giving her." Phil sat back in his own chair and smiled at his daughter.

Turning up one side of her mouth, Daisy grumbled, "maybe she felt guilty for setting my butt on fire."

Phil laughed out loud. "Little girl, your mother might have felt something but I don't think it was guilt and if you know what's good for you you'll never say that to her."

Daisy took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she squirmed a bit on her chair. "I'm not suicidal." She shook her head.

Phil cocked his own head and stared at his daughter for a moment. "Did something happen while mommy and I were away?" He paused and waited for her answer.

"Happen?" Daisy wracked her brain to figure out what he was really asking. Yeah, a lot happened. She and Skye went for a trip through cyberspace to reality and back. She broke into his office, hacked his computer and brought the head of SHIELD to their home in the middle of a blizzard. Oh, but the best was somehow Skye slipped the bonds of Fitz's program and left her trapped in a kids body. Oh, yeah that would be quite a story to tell her father and there was no way in hell he'd ever believe any of it. Hell, if there weren't loony bins for kids, he'd probably build one for her.

"Yes, Skye, did anything happen while we were gone?" Phil started to sound serious.

Daisy shook her head. "No…nope, nothing…well, except the sleepwalking but Yeye thinks it was because I was so very worried about you." _Yeah, yeah she told herself play the up the sympathy with him._ She looked up at him trying to read his thoughts, to see if he believed her. "Why, daddy, is something wrong?" Daisy asked on the verge of (fake) tears. _Turn it back on him, be concerned, be afraid, she told herself._ She stood quickly and stepped next to him, grabbing his hand and looking into his eyes with her own filling with unspent tears. "Is everything okay, daddy. Are you and mommy alright?" She almost smiled when she saw the look in his eyes change from accusation to concern.

"Mommy and I are fine, sweet pickle," he pulled her into a hug. "You don't have to worry about us." He pushed her back and wiped away her stray tears with his thumb. "I promise, we are fine but you seem so different." He pulled her back into a tight hug.

"Cuz of all the attitude?" Daisy asked from inside his hug, hoping that was all.

"Well, that and…" he gently patted her backside. "You just seem like you're not yourself, even the way you've been talking and typing away at that computer like you've done it all your life."

Daisy winced. Even his gentle tap aggravated her tender sit-upon. May had made quite a memorable impression. Hell, yeah she was _different_ because she _was_ different. She wasn't ten, she was twice that and then some. She had experiences that little kid couldn't imagine and in addition to wracking her brain trying to get the hell back to her own world she was worried about her kid-self being lost out there somewhere. Yep, she changed alright; she was worrying like an adult and being treated like a kid. It was the worst of both worlds and having Momma May blister her butt was probably the icing on the cake. She couldn't even guarantee she could hold her tongue long enough to avoid a second piece of the pie. And that was another reason she needed to get back to that computer and get out of here.

"What if you let me have my second two hours now and I go to bed early?" Daisy spoke into Phil's shoulder and felt him laugh without sound. He gave her a not so gentle swat. She sprang upright and rubbed her posterior with both hands. "Hey, that smarts!" She growled at her father with a snarly face.

"It's only two thirty in the afternoon, Skye. Just how early do you plan on going to bed today?" He smiled at her as he began stacking the mahjong tiles back in their case. "Come on, help me clean this mess and we'll make some tea for mommy. She might enjoy the company.

Daisy let her shoulders slump and developed a fine pout. "But, daddy…" she whined, "I just nee…"

"End of discussion, Skye, unless you'd like me to put the laptop back in the closet for a few days while you think about it?"

Daisy let out a whiny sigh and picked up a handful of tiles then threw them into the box. Phil raised an eyebrow.

"Enough, Skye," he spoke slowly, taking a very deep breath. "Maybe you should go to your room and take a little rest of your own." His voice was stern. She'd pushed too far, but Coulson was generally all bark. May was the one with the sharp teeth.

"I'm not tired," Daisy mumbled as she slammed another handful of tiles into the box, roughly putting them in small neat towers. Phil put his hand over hers before she could take another handful. He merely looked at her and she released the tiles.

Turning her to face him, Phil glared down at her and Daisy recognized a look she had only seen once before…in Hong Kong…when May found her with Miles. She'd never felt the way she did that day…not from just a look and right now she felt exactly the same. She opened her mouth to speak, to apologize…again but he held up that one finger and her heart almost stopped. Snapping her mouth shut she swallowed hard and waited for what he had to say.

"Skye, I have never raised a hand to you, not ever, but you are pushing me to a point neither of us will come back from happily. You need to go to your room and give both of us a chance to cool off, no apologies, no excuses, just go to your room until I say." Phil spoke slowly with an authority Skye was not familiar with but Daisy had heard more than a few times.

She looked up at him without lifting her head, but did not make any inclination of doing as she was told. Coulson was generally cooler than May but he was no pushover and she never threw her defiance at him…well, not totally. This was just so wrong. Why was she so angry and why was she causing so much trouble and jeopardizing every chance she had at getting back home? She had to stop expecting to be treated like an adult because here she _was_ a child. Maybe if she just accepted that, things might get better.

Phil was not about to back off. Skye was full of attitude and he understood why May had had her fill of it. He would not give in, not this time. His little girl had crossed the line, again and before he lost his temper she needed to do as he said. He could feel the anger rising. He rarely, if ever shouted at Skye, although he had raised his voice on occasion. That was all it took and she complied, but she had been absolutely defiant in the last forty eight hours and he could not understand why. Perhaps she was resentful of the time he and Melinda had spent away in the last three weeks, especially before Christmas but that was their job and something she'd have to get accustomed to as she grew older. He stood his ground, crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes at the little girl that stood before him, practically daring him to action. And then in a blink her demeanor changed, the fight went out of her and she looked to the floor, took a breath and looked back at him with so much sorrow he almost let down his guard. Instead he cocked his head toward the stairs.

Nodding, Daisy turned away from her father and walked slowly across the kitchen floor. She knew he was watching, she could feel his eyes on her back. Tears leaked over her cheeks. She quickly brushed them away, but they were quicker. She turned at the bottom of the stairs and looked back once only to see him point up the stairs with his eyes then dragged herself up to her bedroom and did something she hadn't done in a very long time. Throwing herself on her bed, she let out all of her frustration over the last two days in sobs and tears, pulled Ling-a-ling into a tight hug and cried herself into a stress exhausted sleep.

xx

Phil pushed open the bedroom door and stepped inside. He made no attempt to keep quiet or hide the fact that he approached his sleeping wife. He knew she heard him as soon as he turned the doorknob.

"Thought you'd enjoy a cup of tea," he smiled as he placed the steaming cup on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the mattress. Melinda smiled without opening her eyes. "I even used the tea ball thing with your favorite blend." Phil grinned.

"How much did my father help?" She asked, still keeping her eyes closed.

Phil grasped a hand to his chest in mock pain. "I'm crushed," he laughed as she opened her eyes and shook her head. He smiled wide and looked into her eyes then pushed the stray hairs away from her face. "Feeling better?"

Melinda grimaced as she pushed herself into a sitting position. "Damn, this hurts," she growled quietly. "Why aren't you in pain?"

"Oh, you know the male of the species, stronger, more resilient…" He made a muscle with his uninjured arm and turned to look at her deadpan expression. He dropped his arm and rubbed the opposite shoulder. "It is a little tender, but I didn't soak it in that cesspool we waded through. You've got quite an infection, Mel. Which reminds me," he picked up and uncapped a prescription bottle from the nightstand. "It's time you took another dose." Phil shook two small white capsules into the palm of his hand and held them out to her.

Melinda rolled her eyes as she snatched them from him. She tossed them into her mouth and swallowed before taking the cup of tea he now offered and sipping it daintily. Phil leaned over and kissed her gently, loving the paradox that was his wife.

"Skye enjoy her time with that damn laptop?" Melinda asked around a second small sip of the hot tea as she pushed herself into a more comfortable position.

Phil sat back and considered his answer without stirring his wife into yet another tizzy. All that craziness with Skye earlier today did nothing to help relieve May's pain. He worried about her despite the fact that she would never admit to any weakness. It took him almost an hour to convince her to take a pain pill and lie down. She probably would have flat out refused if her father hadn't insisted.

"Phil?" Melinda urged, placing her tea cup back in the saucer and giving him 'the look'.

"She was hard at it, barely a word out of her for the whole time," he snorted. "When's the last time Skye was silent for two hours?" He smiled at Melinda who still waited for the other shoe to drop. Phil let out a breath and rubbed his hands together. "We played mahjong for a bit but she was more interested in that computer…tried to bargain for the next two hours…" Melinda pursed her lips and shook her head. "But," Phil held up a hand. "I held my ground…told her she'd have to wait."

"And how did that go?" Melinda sneered.

Phil rubbed his hands back and forth on his lap, refusing to look his wife in the eye. "She's in her room, cooling off a little. She's been pretty quiet. I think she might be sleeping."

Melinda threw the blanket off and tossed her legs over the side of the bed. She was grumbling under her breath in Mandarin and Phil could only imagine what she might be saying. He grabbed her hand before she stood.

"She's fine, Mel." He said softly.

"She's not fine, Phil. She's far from fine. What the hell's gotten into her? It's like someone sucked her dry and replaced her with someone else's kid." Melinda snarled. "She's never been disrespectful or so angry. She's never defied us, Phil."

"I know," Phil sadly agreed as he put his good arm around her shoulder and held her in place. "I tried to talk to her about it. She just turned it around like she was a seasoned agent. I was almost proud of her."

Melinda backhanded him across the chest.

"Seriously Mel, I don't know what's gotten into her and you're right she seems like she's been someone else since we got back. Can she be that traumatized by our being away so long? I mean we've been on missions before…not as long, but she knows we have to travel." The look on his face was pained. Melinda squeezed his hand. "I feel like I don't even know her and I hate it."

"She's growing up, Phil. She's not going to be a little girl forever. Puberty is a lot worse than the terrible twos." Melinda sighed.

"She was a terrific two," Phil sighed remembering his cuddly toddler.

"That's because you were off on mini missions while I dealt with potty training and temper tantrums, daddy." Melinda scoffed.

"She's ten, Mel. Isn't puberty more like sixteen?" Phil wished.

Melinda laughed at his statement. "By that time we'll have a whole new set of problems."

"You mean it gets worse?" Phil was appalled.

"One day at a time, daddy, one day at a time. We'll get through it."

"But she's ten! Ten, May, she's still a baby. She can't be growing up that fast. It just isn't possible."

"Well it's either that or she is so damn mad at us she can't control herself."

"The laptop calmed her down, Mel. Maybe we should just…" Phil looked at his wife with the same expression Skye had used on him earlier.

"Give in to her? Let her have what she wants because she's treating us badly? So the next time it gets worse or she just turns into demanding brat that control us? Not in this lifetime, Phil Coulson. When she wakes up we are all going to sit down and discuss this whole damn thing and if she pulls more of that snotty, know-it-all attitude she's going to be one sorry little girl." Melinda laughed at the irony of that comment.

xx

Daisy rubbed her eyes and let out a soft breath. She rolled to her back and stared at the ceiling. This was a rotten mess and she had to find a way to fix it. Daisy wasn't stupid. She knew most of the situation was her fault. It was always her fault. If this was a foster family she'd be packing her cardboard suitcase and waiting for the social worker to pick up and take her back to St. Agnes. The truth of the matter was she didn't really know how to act like a _good_ kid. She only knew how to be the kid that was always in trouble or at the center of it.

Mary Sue Poots challenged authority at every turn. Skye learned respect at an early age, not that she was puppet. Nope, she and her parents had a great relationship. They respected each other and Daisy was screwing that up royally. She missed the little kid that kept her company in this realm…or whatever the hell it was. She missed thinking to her and especially missed her thinking back. If this was it, if she was stuck here she'd have to try a lot harder.

She'd already pushed May over the edge and wasn't sure if she'd back anytime soon. Hell, May was resting. May _never_ rested…damn it, she never slept. And Coulson, well she didn't even want to think about that fiasco. She'd made May angry right from the start. Daisy almost laughed remembering how she made May angry just by breathing but not AC. Coulson was special right from the beginning. He just looked into to her, not at her like everyone else but into her. Pushing him to the breaking point made her feel…feel…ashamed. That was it, she was mortified at what she had done, not because she made him angry but because she could see the hurt. Was May hurt too? She hid it well, but probably yes. She'd hurt them both and felt rotten because of it and the more rotten she felt the more she took it out on them. Damn she was stuck in some continuous loop and had no idea how to get out of it.

Daisy pulled the little stuffed dog she'd been fingering onto her chest and looked into its black bead eyes. "Hey, Ling-a-ling," she smiled at the toy as a tear leaked over her cheek. "You've been around a while, huh? I could really use some advice, little stuffed doggie. I don't know how to fix this. I don't know how to be the kid they want. I'm not good enough for them, you know. They deserve Skye, not me, not some throw away smart-alecky kid that _looks_ for trouble. Hell, I'm the cause of this trouble, all of it." She flipped the little dog's ears a few times and wobbled its head. "Skye would never end up getting her butt toasted one day after Christmas. She wouldn't have lost her laptop in the first place or yelled at her grandmother or smarted off to her mother _and_ her father. What's _wrong_ with me anyway?" She asked Ling-a-ling as she brushed a tear away with the back of her hand. "I've _already_ done this and it didn't turn out so well, so why do it all over the same way? I guess fate is just telling me I can't get it back and I still can't do it right. I can't live the life that was stolen from me. I just make it worse," she choked back a sob. "It's hard watching what I could have had…what the hell was I thinking?" Daisy's voice took on an angry tone but staring into those little eyes eased it slowly. "I don't know what to do, puppy." Her voice became small and cracked as she hugged the toy tightly then rolled back to her side letting the tears run across her cheeks and into her pillow.

xx

May lead Daisy to the com room and pulled out a chair at the large wooden table. She motioned for the girl to sit at the head of it, then sat down on one side while Coulson sat on the other. The girl looked from one to the other and then back.

"I'm in trouble right," she asked nervously. "I know I am. I'm in big trouble. That's why you're so quiet and lookin' at me like that." She shuffled her feet under the table and squirmed in her seat.

Coulson took one of her hands in his and shook his head. "No, Skye, no, you aren't in trouble. We aren't angry with you." He looked to May who's raised eyebrow said something quite the opposite. Skye followed his line of sight and realized the same thing. She unconsciously shifted closer to her father.

May spoke directly to Coulson. "We're going nowhere without the truth." She drummed her fingers on the table and waited for his reply then looked to Skye. "Your father is mistaken, Skye. We are upset with you. You were told to stay put and you went exploring anyway." May's fingers clenched into a fist that she lightly tapped on the table.

"I…I'm sorry I didn't stay in that room…I had to get Ling-a-ling. I wasn't exploring. I was going to get him. I didn't want him to get lost or wet in that leaky bathroom. He's…he's important. I couldn't just leave him there." The girl explained rapidly, sniffling back the tears that threatened to fall.

Coulson squeezed the girl's hand. "We understand that Skye, but you need to do as we ask for your own safety." He pleaded with a glance at May, pleaded for her to let go of her anger.

"You need to do as you're told, Skye. We aren't asking," she glared at Coulson. "We are _telling_ you what is best for you and for all of us."

Skye dropped her gaze to the table top and nodded. "I'm sorry," she mumbled again.

May let out a frustrated breath and sat back on her chair. She was still having a difficult time dealing with a child and looking into the eyes of an adult. She did not envy her cyber self dealing with the adult Daisy trapped in a child's body. That situation had to be twice as difficult as this. It was hard enough dealing with her real world headstrong Daisy, even now that she had come into her own and understood the need to follow rules and obey orders…most of the time. She was an agent and a damn good one…when she wasn't letting emotion take over like a ten year old. May squeezed the bridge of her nose and wracked her brain for a solution to this insanity.

"Why is everything all broken?" Skye asked in a small voice as she scanned the room. "What is this place? Are we trapped here?" She looked at Coulson with wide eyes.

"No, we aren't trapped. It's just safer for us to stay here." He explained, ignoring the fact that she was changing the subject.

May was not so easily swayed. "Don't change the subject, Skye. That's not why we're here and you know that. The condition of this base has nothing to do with why you were wandering around alone."

Skye paused for a moment listening to what her mother was saying. She thought about how much trouble she was probably in but chose to ignore it for now. She scrunched up her face. "But, it's all dirty and…and broken." She repeated. "Was there a war?" Her voice wavered. She was close to tears again.

"War?" Coulson cocked his head and considered her question. "No, no there wasn't a war." He glanced quickly at May who narrowed her gaze. "There was an accident…an explosion. That's what caused all of this." He nodded toward the door that lead to the hallway. "We've been working to repair what we can, that's all."

Skye looked at him for a moment then at May. She sensed there was more to it. "Then why don't you just go home?" She swiped a tear from her cheek and sniffled.

Coulson looked to May who now wore a very smug 'ha! Now what?' look. "Well, sweetheart, this is our home."

"You _live_ here?" The girl squeaked. "Why? What happened to our house? Did it explode too? Did everything explode?" She was close to panicking again. She pushed the chair back from the table and started to stand, held in place only by Coulson's grip on her hand. She shook her head and took ragged breaths as she shook her head. "I don't like it here. I want to go home." She stammered.

"No, Skye, no," May took the girl's opposite hand and squeezed tightly easing her back into her seat. "Breathe, baobei, breathe with me." Skye tried to pull away but could not break her mother's hold. "Look at me, Skye." May shook Skye's hand gently and waited for her to comply. "Good girl, now breathe with me…deep breaths…in and hold and long breath out…good…again…" May continued the exercise until the girl relaxed. Coulson rubbed the back of her hand and smiled.

"Come on, sweetie, I want to show you something." He stood, still holding her hand and waited for her to rise.

Skye looked to May, who nodded and stood as well. The girl stood and allowed Coulson to lead her through the maze of rubble to a small spiral staircase. They climbed it carefully and walked down a dim hallway that ended at a large window covered with dust and soot. Coulson pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and scrubbed a spot large enough for the three of them to look at the world outside.

It was midday, bright and sunny as most days are when summer draws to a close. Skye could see the traffic flowing on the streets below and people moving through their day. A couple kids ran along the sidewalk racing toward what looked like a small park. There were trees and paths and a small playground filled with moms and little kids. She could see the city in the background, the tall buildings with windows sparkling in the sunlight. Everything looked…normal. She smiled at Coulson then looked to May and smiled again as she rested her hands against the soot covered glass and looked in all directions taking in everything she could. Then she turned and looked at her hands. Grimacing at the grime she quickly swiped them on her thighs then looked again. Before she could repeat the action, May grabbed her hand and shook her head. Skye turned up one side of her mouth and shrugged. She turned back and stared at the outside world.

"Why are you stuck here?" Skye asked without turning toward her parents. She stared at the small ice cream shop across the street and watched as a family walked away enjoying their cold treats.

"We aren't stuck." Coulson explained. "We can leave…it just isn't very wise for us to do right now."

"Are you hiding?" She still looked away instead of at her parents.

Coulson looked at May who shook her head. "We like to call it laying low." She amended. "There was some trouble and we've got some people angry with us right now."

Skye turned and looked at her mother. "Is that who exploded you?" Her eyes grew wide again.

"No, but it's part of the reason." May nodded, unable to speak to that situation as she had no memory of it.

"Will they come back and blow you up again? Do they know you're here?" Skye sounded frightened again. Coulson took her hand and started walking back toward the stairs.

"No, those people are gone. We don't have anything to worry about from them." Coulson assured her as May followed a step behind.

"But, if they're gone who are you hi…lay lowing from?" Skye scrunched her eyebrows together as she asked.

"There are some people who think we caused the explosion. They're still pretty angry." Coulson answered as they went down the spiral steps in single file.

"Like the police?" Skye wondered.

"For one," May answered.

Skye was quiet for a moment, sorting through the confusion information. "So you're _criminals_?" She asked slowly, hoping for a 'no' answer.

May snorted.

Phil turned at the bottom of the stairs and looked up a Skye who stood two steps behind. "Some think we are, but I promise you we are only doing what we believe is best for the people we protect." Skye nodded although she did not really understand, then stepped down next to him. May followed and they walked in silence back to the common room.

"Is Daisy a criminal too?" Skye asked quietly as she sat back in the chair at the head of the table and flicked a finger at its surface.

"Daisy is _not_ a criminal. She saved a lot of people and works hard to keep everyone safe, even us." May assured her as she too sat at the table. "If it weren't for Daisy none of us would be here. She saved us when no one else could."

Skye's smile grew wide. "I knew she was good. I knew it." May felt a surge of pride in both versions of her daughter. "She's really special, isn't she?" May nodded her agreement, afraid to put it into words. "I wish I knew where she was?" The girl's tone changed as her voice grew smaller.

"How 'bout I make us some lunch?" Coulson patted the girl's shoulders from behind. He pulled open the refrigerator. "Looks like we have some left over pizza…some bologna…" He pulled open the freezer. "Hmmm, fish sticks…hamburger…hot dogs…. Any preferences?" He turned back to the girl and her mother. May raised a hand indicating she was good. Skye shook her head.

"Can I have grilled cheese?" She whispered.

"Again?" Phil almost laughed. The girl nodded and he pulled the needed items from the fridge before closing the door.

"I really miss Daisy." Skye mumbled out loud, wanting May to hear. The woman nodded. She missed the girl as well. "She's just always been here with me, thinking to me in my head. I never told anybody about her cuz I didn't think they'd believe me. My mom…" She looked at May for a moment. "You…" she nodded toward her mother. "You said she was my imaginary friend, but I didn't imagine her. She was always really there, wasn't she?" May nodded. "Sometimes she was quiet but I still knew she was there. Then we would think together and well sometimes she thunk me into trouble."

"Thought," May corrected. "Thought you into trouble, Daisy's very good at that." She smiled.

Skye laughed. "She thinks a lot of bad words too, but she tells me not to say them." She thought for a moment. "Hey, I'm Daisy now. I'm a grown up so I can say hell and damn as much as Daisy does." She smiled at the statement.

May shook her head. If only being grown up was that easy. If only having permission to use 'bad' words was a reason for celebration. Celebration…it had been a very long time since anyone here had reason to celebrate anything. Yeah, finally ridding the world of that AIDA atrocity was satisfying but nothing to celebrate. Her minions were still out there and trouble was just waiting for them. The discovery of the child they though they had lost was bitter sweet. Here she was right in front of them yet she'd lived a nightmare life without them and nothing could change that. Daisy just could not get a break. Now, here was this impossible kid…created by Fitz…trapped in this reality. May wanted to be angry to walk away from the whole damn ridiculous situation, but something about this kid…this alternate version of Skye…touched her heart in a way she didn't think was possible. There were times she wanted to just throttle the stubborn kid while at the same time she also wanted to take her in a bear hug and never let go. The whole thing made her head throb and she wondered if that was why Coulson had such pain as well.

Coulson set a plated grilled cheese in front of Skye and a steaming cup of tea in front of May. Skye smiled as she leaned forward and inhaled the scent of her favorite sandwich. "You make it exactly like my Yeye."

"Where do you think he got the recipe?" The man smiled as he sat down with his own lunch. "I've got a secret ingredient. I swore him to secrecy." He wriggled his eyebrows causing Skye to giggle.

Skye took a small bite of one half of her sandwich. "Can I go outside?" She chewed.

"No, that is not a good idea." Coulson shook his head and swallowed his own bite. He stifled the smile at her small pout.

"I just want a little fresh air. Maybe we can go to that ice cream place across the street." She mumbled softly as she pushed the sandwich around on her plate.

"You absolutely cannot go out there, Skye. It's too dangerous." May stated flatly.

"But, I'm really not a little kid. Look…" she held her arms out at her sides and raised her eyebrows. "I'm grown, like Daisy. I am Daisy. Right?"

"I said no, Skye. End of discussion." May ordered leaving no wiggle room.

Skye looked to Coulson for help…for understanding her plight and to convince her mother otherwise. He shook his head and she let out a defeated huff. "The people who…who think we did something wrong are looking for Daisy. They…they're angry with her for something they think she did."

"But you said she was a good guy," Skye whined. "Why are those people looking for her?"

"It doesn't matter." May stated calmly. "You aren't going out there to find out. Now, finish your lunch and we'll find something to keep you busy while we figure this out."

"It's not normal for kids to stay inside all day. It's not healthy." Skye argued.

May took a sip of her tea then set the cup down softly. She folded her hands on the table and gave Skye a very sly smile. "It is very unhealthy to argue with your mother." She raised one eye brow.

Skye swallowed hard and nodded. She finished the rest of her sandwich and helped clean up before accompanying her parents back to the room where Fitz and Simmons were trying to solve her dilemma.


	25. Chapter 25 - Reach Out in the Darkness

**Chapter 25**

 **Reach Out in the Darkness**

Fitz rubbed his blood shot eyes and tried to focus on the data he was reviewing for the tenth time. He let out a long breath, put back his head and squeezed his eyes closed for a moment before standing and walking to the large water cooler on the opposite side of the room. He passed the table Coulson had set up for Skye. Everyone decided it was easier, safer and a lot wiser to keep the girl with them than to try keeping tabs on her elsewhere.

In the past three hours they'd played a few board games, three hands of Crazy Eights, Uno, and some game called Mad Gab. Coulson and Simmons took turns while May kept Fitz on track and made frequent trips out of the room to check the perimeter of the broken base and keep in touch with Piper and Chen. Despite their crazy situation it was still business as usual.

The adult-adults had grown weary of games and Coulson suggested Skye try reading for a little while to which the girl scoffed it was too much like school work. She walked aimlessly around the room and stood for a few minutes staring at the computer screens that almost covered one wall. She cocked her head and stared at the code that ran across one screen and continued on another then shrugged her shoulders and dropped back into her chair at the table.

There was a stack of blank paper and colored pencils in a small box that someone had thought might be useful. Skye pulled out a sheet and grabbed a handful of pencils. She scribbled on the paper and made a few notes then started making patterns of code much like that on the screens behind her. Coulson looked over her shoulder and smiled a relieved smile. The girl had finally found something to keep her occupied. She seemed to be totally engrossed in the activity. Daisy had never really showed any interest in arts and crafts or drawing or even doodling, so this was a new concept. Then again he didn't know her when she was a child so maybe her interests were different way back when.

May walked back into the room and gave Coulson a quick nod, letting him know all was well. Fitz chugged down a second cup of water, crumbled the paper item in his fist and threw it into the waste basket.

"I don't know what else to do. Everything is running as it should. The program picks up the essence of the avatar not the physical essence of the person using it. Skye's avatar readings are right here." He tapped the screen several times and let out a frustrated sigh. "It shows all is well, but is it reading her there or here?" He shook his head. "There is no way to know. Daisy becomes Skye in the program so their code reads the same." His voice became shrill as he brushed his hand across his forehead. "I cannot differentiate between them, it just is not possible."

Simmons moved to his side and rubbed his shoulder. He'd been working at this all day and was no closer now than he had been when he started. His frustration was growing and she knew he was close to the breaking point. Jemma was not at a loss for words but knew that patronizing him would only make matters worse.

Coulson glanced at his watch. "I think we've all been at this too long. Fitz you need a break. Why don't you and Jemma get something to eat and rest for a few hours?" Before either could make a comment he pulled rank. "That's an order, not a suggestion." He smiled at the irony. Simmons smiled back as Fitz nodded. Coulson turned to the girl still hunched over her project at the table. "Skye, finish what you're doing. We're going for supper."

The girl waved her hand at them. "I'm not hungry. I have to finish this." She did not turn from what she was doing or cease her work.

"Skye," May warned with just one word but the girl continued to scribble on the paper in front of her.

"I'm sorry, mommy, I can't. I just can't. I have to do this." She mumbled from her hunched over position.

May rolled her eyes and shook her head. This just could not be easy, could it? She reached over the girl and snagged the paper from her.

"Hey!" Skye turned quickly and swiped at the paper May held out of her reach. "Give that back!" she demanded. May raised an eyebrow and the girl backed down. She looked to the floor and played with the pencil in her hand. "I…I'm sorry…I…I…I just wasn't…." her voice faded into a mumble of words no one understood.

May nodded her approval of the girl's obedience and glanced at the drawing in her hand. She squinted in confusion as she tried to make out what Skye had drawn. It looked much like the code that ran across the computer screen but it blended into forms and figures in a scene that resembled a Christmas tree standing over a multitude of gifts. Yet it was not an outline or a drawing she'd ever seen before, but the same nine figures copied over and over into the shapes in a myriad of colors. Coulson stepped next to May and glanced over her shoulder at the picture. He too looked at it in confusion and took it slowly from her grip. They exchanged the same look. May stepped to the table and spread out the other pictures Skye had 'drawn' while she sat quietly scribbling. Every one of the seven or eight sheets of paper was covered with the same picture and the same nine figures. May picked up one of them and compared it to the page in Coulson's hand. They were identical, as if printed from a computer program or run through a copy machine. Even the colors were the same in every spot. Fitz and Simmons noticed the quiet and moved to view what the other couple found so amazing. Skye turned back to the table, grabbed another sheet of paper and began covering it with the same design, starting at the top and moving left to right as she moved down the entire sheet.

For a moment the four adult-adults merely watched as the picture took shape and once again was identical to all of the others. Fitz stared at one of the copies he held in his hand then looked to the work Skye was busy doing. He shook the paper in his hand and stared at it as a smile spread across his face.

"I don't believe it." Fitz whispered. "I bloody don't believe it. They're communicating. Somehow they are communicating. Bloody hell, I don't believe it." His voice rose as he shook the paper in front of his face and grew more animated with each word he spoke.

Simmons and May stared at the copies they held then looked to Fitz in bewilderment. What did he see that they did not? They exchanged glances as they watched him rejoice. Coulson stared at the page he held and looked down at Skye who continued her work oblivious to the activity around her.

Fitz shook the paper in front of Simmons. "This is it!" He almost shouted. "This is what we've been searching for…why didn't I see it there? Why didn't I recognize it?" He stared at the paper again then smiled and kissed it. He waved it in the air and moved to Skye, kissing the back of her head. "You're beautiful Skye, just beautiful." He kissed her again then turned and hurried to the keyboard, searching through his code for a pattern that had meant nothing to him but now made perfect sense.

May looked at Coulson who shrugged his shoulders. Jemma set the paper she held back on the table and moved to Fitz's side. "Fitz," she said softly as she rested a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe, Coulson is right, maybe we should take a break."

Fitz reached up and patted her hand. "Not now, Jemma." He continued tapping the keys and glancing at the screens with a wide smile.

May stood behind Skye and watched as she continued her work. Coulson stared at the paper in his hand for a few moments, tracing each line with his eyes until its meaning struck. He moved quickly to Fitz and shook the paper as he pointed at the lines. "Is this what I think it is?" He asked the young scientist.

Fitz smiled at the man. "Yes, it is. Isn't it brilliant? She couldn't hack into the code and take the chance of changing or possibly deleting someone so she added this. It's been there all along. I thought it was some crazy glitch. I corrected it twice and it returned. I should have known Daisy would do something totally outside the box." Fitz was giddy with excitement.

May and Jemma moved closer when they heard Daisy's name and the tone in Fitz's voice. May looked at the picture again and shook her head. "This means nothing." She huffed as she tossed it on the keyboard in front of the young man.

Fitz turned and smiled at her. He picked up the paper and handed it back as he stood. "No, no May, look at it, just look." He ran his index finger along the horizontal lines that created Skye's picture of her living room as she remembered it. "It's right here, May. Just look!" He sounded like a man who couldn't understand why someone didn't get the punch line of a joke.

May looked again at the small figures that made up Skye's picture. …-… …-… …-… She blinked a few times and followed each line of the picture. Damn! She hadn't recognized it, but there it was right in front of her over and over in vibrant colors and every size imaginable. Morse code! It was Morse code! Daisy was there. Daisy was safe and she had figured out a way to get a message to them. It was old school, but it worked.

 _'S O S, S O S, S O S'_

Daisy sent them a call for help over and over, hundreds, no thousands of time…and somehow Skye had intercepted it. The kid had no idea what she was doing or why, but she had gotten the message and was sharing it with all of them.

"It's been here…right here." Fitz pointed to the screen. There among his strings of 1's and 0's was the nine figure message at varying intervals along Skye's code. It appeared above and below. It flickered in some places and faded in others…but it was there. "She's been trying to let me know she was there."

May looked over her shoulder at Skye who continued drawing her pictures and smiled at the ingenuity of her Daisy. Somehow the girl had figured out this mess using a laptop computer while dealing with the life of a child. That kid was really something. May smiled.

Before anyone could ask Fitz tapped rapidly into his program adding rows and rows of code. "I know exactly how to answer her," he smiled. He finished with a flourish and spun on his chair to face the others. "Now, we wait for her to reply. It might take a while. Time moves differently there." He reached for his tablet and tapped into that as well. He stood and smiled for the first time in weeks. "Now, how about that dinner? I am feeling quite peckish." The man headed for the door leaving the others looking at each other in confusion.

xx

Daisy lay curled on her side staring at the wall. She picked at the sproingy hair on her stuffed puppy and watched the shadows from her bedroom window wobble in front of her. The girl had no idea how long she'd been in her room, having dozed off a few times due to the uncontrollable crying. Daisy really couldn't remember ever wanting or needing to cry so much. It really didn't make her feel any better. Her head ached and her nose was stuffy. Whoever said you feel better after a good cry had no idea what they were talking about or had never had the experience. Her eyes felt so sticky and swollen she wasn't sure she'd be able to see if, and that was a big if, Coulson ever let her near that computer again. She let out a soft sigh and damn! She was getting all teary again.

"Skye?" The voice was soft and quiet, but Daisy knew it was May.

For a moment the girl froze, allowing the sound of her mother's voice to run through her. Was it angry? Concerned? Threatening? She could just pretend to be sleeping…but May would never fall for it and she'd just be digging a deeper hole. She let out a shaky breath and rolled toward the door answering her mother with only a look.

Melinda returned the look and walked across the room to sit on the girl's bed. Daisy scooted over to give her space, still holding Ling-a-ling against her chest. She'd never really had something that was all her own to keep all her life. Holding this stuffed puppy gave her a strange sort of comfort that she really couldn't explain. It seemed weird that that feeling came from a toy, but it was like the tighter she hugged it the better it made her feel.

"You've been up here an awful long time, baobei." Melinda tilted her head to look at her daughter who merely shrugged her shoulders and kept her eyes on her puppy. She reached forward and pulled a few tissues from the box that set on the night stand and held them out to the girl. "You might feel a little better if you blow your nose a few times."

Daisy looked at the tissues for a half second before taking them from her mother and giving a forceful snort three times before she was able to take a deep breath through her nostrils. She balled the Kleenex up in her hand and mumbled a soft 'thank you'. Melinda nodded her response.

"This how it's going to be now?" Melinda asked her sullen little girl. "You and me just nodding and shrugging at each other." She waited for Skye to answer but the little girl looked away, avoiding the answer. "I really like talking with you, Skye. I think I'd miss it a lot." Melinda's voice was soft and sad.

"I just keep making you mad all the time. I just keep screwing up. That's what I do, I just mess things up." Daisy spoke to the little dog rather than address the woman who sat next to her.

Melinda looked down at her own hands. "We all make mistakes, Skye. It's just part of being a person."

'Huh,' Daisy rolled her eyes in her mind. 'Not quite, May. I'm already grown up and I'm making the same stupid mistakes I did the first time. I'm not a slow learner. I'm just stupid.' She shook her head and answered. "I just keep making the same ones. Maybe you should just send me back." It slipped out before Daisy could even think about it. It was normal…routine. She screwed up and the family got rid of her. That's the way things went…all the time.

Melinda laughed a little and reached out to squeeze her daughter's hand. "Send you back? Back where? To the hospital where you were born? I'm not sure they'd know what to do with you." She shook the little girl's hand gently.

Daisy stared at her mother's hand covering her own. "Why wouldn't you? I just cause trouble for you."

Melinda let out a sigh as she shook her head and pulled the little girl into a sitting position then wrapped her in an embrace. She wrapped her arms around her daughter and kissed the top of her head as she rocked back and forth. "Yes, baobei you have caused quite a bit of trouble lately but I would never, ever, ever, _EVER_ send you anywhere. You are my sweet, beautiful, smart, baby girl and I love you even when you screw up, even if you make me angry. You know that, Skye. You know I love you." She hugged the little girl tighter and kissed her again.

Hugging that little stuffed dog felt good and comfy but wrapped in her mother's love was the best thing Daisy had ever felt. It was like some kind of warm honey was poured all over her and it wasn't sticky it was just…just wonderful. She slowly reached her small, thin arms around Melinda, hugged back and shook her head. She didn't even care that she was crying again.

They sat like that for what seemed like a very long time, long enough for Melinda to gather her little girl into her lap and hold her until she'd exhausted her tears and covered the bed with Kleenex 'snow' balls.

"Are…are you mad at me, mommy?" Daisy asked the question resting her cheek against Melinda's chest.

Melinda kissed her again as she continued rocking. Daisy grew anxious as she waited for the answer. "What's all this about, Skye? What's really bothering you?" She crooned as she rested her cheek on the top of the girl's head. "Did you think because I punished you that I stopped loving you?" Melinda tilted the little girl back to look in her eye, not allowing her to turn away.

Daisy breathed softly and considered how much of her crazy story she could tell this version of May. The truth, even though she'd never believe it, would shatter her world. How could she tell this May that she wasn't real and this place was all made up just so she, Daisy, could see what life might have been like…so she could have memories of a real family. Nope, she wasn't going there. She stared at the pattern on the soft grey sweat shirt Melinda wore and traced one of the small flowers with her index finger. It was pale yellow, almost indiscernible against the grey. Its small point petals spread out like a tiny sun with a tiny white center. Daisy circled it with her finger over and over as she thought about how to answer her mother.

"I missed you." Daisy whispered to the tiny flower. "I needed you." Skye's words…to tell her mother how she felt about her being away…but Daisy's heart ached with the need for a mother and she missed _her_ May more than she thought possible. The two truths intertwined in and around each other.

This time Melinda was reluctant to answer. She and Phil had come so very close to losing their lives and leaving their daughter with no answers…leaving her wondering for the rest of her life what had happened to the parents she loved. It was a hard pill to swallow.

"I know, baobei." Melinda wrapped her arms tighter around the little girl. "I missed you, too. We both did."

"You got hurt, you both did." Daisy's voice was muffled inside the embrace. "I was scared and angry because…because I couldn't help you and I didn't know where you were. What if you didn't come back?"

Melinda squeezed the tears from her own eyes. "Oh, baobei, you don't have to be scared. Daddy and I are very good at what we do. You did help. You helped us get home, bao bao. We came home for you." She kissed the little girl over and over. "We will always come home for you, Skye, always."

"You came home to a brat." Daisy grumbled. "And crappy attitude and no respect and…"

Melinda rocked her forward and landed a gentle pat on her backside. "And we took care of that." She smiled.

"Yeah," Daisy sighed and smiled back as she stared again at the flower on Melinda's sweater. It was a daisy. It was a tiny, pale daisy. Melinda's sweater was covered with them. Had they always been there just so pale they were invisible until she got this close? When did Melinda May wear flowers? Daisy looked at the box of tissues her mother had placed on the bed. It was white and yellow with a string of yellow daisies running around its perimeter. It was a tissue box. She didn't pay much attention to it, but why would there be a Springy kind of decoration at Christmas time.

"I think Yeye might have supper ready for us. He does wonders with leftovers." Melinda smiled.

Daisy shrugged her shoulders without moving her head from her mother's shoulder. "Daddy said to stay here until he told me I could leave. He's mad at me too."

Melinda squeezed her again and smiled. "Daddy knows you and I were going to talk a little bit. After dinner we'll all talk together." She almost laughed with she felt Skye droop at the statement. "We'll fix this, baobei, together." She kissed the little girl again and rocked her gently resting her chin atop the child's head. "I think you should wash your face and then we'll go downstairs together."

Daisy nodded but did not move. She just wasn't ready to leave the cocoon of her mother's affection. It was safe and warm and something she had rare occasion to experience. Melinda smiled at the girl's clinginess and wrapped herself around her daughter.

"You know if we don't move, we aren't going anywhere, right?" Melinda whispered through her smile.

"That's okay," Daisy replied in her own soft whisper. "I like it here."

"Me too, baobei, but we've got some things to fix and then I promise I will cuddle with you as long as you let me." Melinda assured her.

"I'll let you forever, mommy." Daisy smiled as she snuggled closer.

"I wish you would, wǒ de xiǎo hóuzi." Melinda's smile was bittersweet. She knew these times would soon grow very few and far between. Daisy smiled too. It had been a long time since she'd heard Melinda call Skye a little monkey. "Okay, let's go." Melinda stood, gently easing the little girl to her feet.

Daisy reluctantly let go and stood looking up at her mother for a moment before noticing the small vase on the nightstand that held one yellow daisy…a fresh yellow daisy…at the end of December. She could not keep her eyes off of it as Melinda let her from the room. A daisy? A fresh daisy in the winter…

Melinda pushed open the bathroom door and gently ushered Skye inside. She set down the toilet seat and motioned for the little girl to sit. Daisy complied. She stared at a package of toilet tissue on the floor next to the vanity. It looked like any other rolls of that necessity…about six inches high, white and round with flat ends. It was secured in a plastic wrapper covered with small yellow and white DAISIES. Across the package in large letters it proclaimed… _Feel Daisy Fresh in Any Situation_.

Daisy almost laughed. What a silly slogan…silly and stupid at the same time. Daisies had nothing to do with toilet paper. Melinda turned from the sink and held out a washcloth…a white washcloth speckled with small yellow and back daisies. Skye closed her eyes and allowed her mother to wipe her cry-sore face with the cool rag. She finished with a tap to the girl's nose.

A few minutes later they joined Phil, William and Lian for dinner. Daisy grinned at the large vase full of every color daisy imaginable in the center of the kitchen table. She glanced quickly at her laptop. The cute puppy screensaver was replaced with a field of…yep, daisies…miles and miles and miles of bright yellow daisies. Her program had made the connection. That dopey old code, that wonderful dopey old code found its way through all those strings of code and into the real world. She wasn't sure how it got there or what brought Fitz to realize she was sending it, but it worked! Who else but Fitz would send her daisies in December? She was almost giddy with the realization and couldn't wait to get back to that laptop.

Daisy sat at the table and ate in silence, listening to the adult conversation but keeping any comment to herself. She ate everything without asking questions or grumbling about what she didn't like. She drank every drop of milk in the glass put before her and asked politely for more. In truth, Daisy liked milk. Breakfast had been a disaster. She was not repeating it, not taking one chance that she'd be banned from her means of fixing this crazy situation.

"Nǐ yīdìng hěn è, sūnnǚ. Méiyǒu tóusù, nǐ yǐjīng chīguò měi yī zhǒng shūcài." William smiled at the fact the girl had eaten everything, including the many vegetables he had added to this turkey stir fry.

"I was hungry, Yeye. This is very good. May I please have a little bit more?" Daisy wasn't sucking-up. She really was hungry. She'd missed lunch and well, breakfast was a bust. Whatever this stuff was it beat every Chinese take-out she had ever tasted. Yeye was an excellent cook. She'd miss his meals once she got back. Thanking her grandfather in Mandarin as he handed her a second helping she considered suggesting to Skye that she pay more attention to her grandfather's skills. Hell, she'd become fluent in the mother tongue because Skye spoke it to her grandfather since she began talking, maybe the cooking skill would rub off as well.

"I hope you have learned your lesson, Zhen Ju. I do not wish to spend another evening with your very poor attitude." Lian glared over the lip of her teacup at the little girl who sat across from her.

Daisy bit her tongue. This woman had the personality of sandpaper and made her want to pull out her most sarcastic comments, but she resisted, feeling the slight under the table nudge from her mother. Instead she gently laid her fork next to her plate, finished chewing, swallowed and looked up at her grandmother. "My name is Skye, grandmother, but you can call me Zhen Ju if you like. I like the name my mom and dad gave me." She watched Lian's face pinch into a suspicious scowl as the woman put down her cup without a sound. "I'm sorry I was disrespectful to you and to everyone else. I will try to do better." She dropped her hands to her lap and waited for her grandmother to respond.

Lian gave the girl an almost indistinct nod then picked up her tea again and sipped quietly.

Dessert was again the many varieties of cookies baked before the holiday. Phil enjoyed his favorite pumpkin pie with a six inch layer of whipped cream despite Melinda's scolding. Daisy begged for the same but had to settle for a sample of her father's. She settled for two cut out cookies covered with Christmas sprinkles.

Yeye began clearing the table and motioned for his granddaughter to help. Skye scraped plates and carried them to the sink. She did the chores she was expected to do weaving in and out of the adults who also worked to put the kitchen back in order. With everyone helping the process took very little time.

"It's after supper now, daddy." Daisy reminded Phil.

"Yep," he teased. "It is absolutely after supper." He tossed the dishtowel he'd been using over his shoulder and pretended to check his watch. "Just about time for you and me and mommy to sit down for a little chat," he took her hand and tugged it a little.

Daisy felt herself deflate as she glanced over Phil's shoulder at the laptop on the small desk in the alcove. It was apparent Fitz had gotten her call for help, but any further progress would have to wait. At this point she was not taking any chances.

xx

"Will it hurt?" Skye's eyes were wide with apprehension. May sat at the table next to the girl while Coulson sat across from them.

"No, no darling," Simmons' soft voice answered before May could respond. "It is totally painless. You won't feel a thing."

Skye listened to the young scientist but looked to her parents for reassurance. May squeezed the hand she was already holding and Coulson reached across the table to take the other. "Everything will be fine, baobei. There is nothing to be afraid of, nothing at all." May tried to quell the girl's fear but could see by Skye's expression her words meant very little.

Simmons stepped in again. She pulled her chair closer to the girl and smiled. "It's just like the Wizard of Oz, sweetheart, except instead of tapping your heels together you put on the head…phones, close your eyes and you're home."

May looked at Simmons with one eyebrow raised.

"Agent May, tell me you've never seen that movie." Simmons was shocked.

May rolled her eyes and turned back to her daughter.

Skye was shaking her head on the verge of panic. May could see the terror in her eyes. "Skye, look at me." She pulled the girl's hands into her own, easily slipping one from Coulson. "Look at me," she ordered the girl, tugging so hard she spun Skye in her seat. Simmons stood and backed away, distressed that May would handle things with such force. Coulson raised a hand to the doctor motioning for her to stand down. May knew what she was doing. She always did. He had complete faith in her, complete trust that she would fix this…could fix this.

"Look at me, baobei, just me." May's voice was firm. It left no room to disregard. "You know how to do this Skye, we've done it before. Breathe with me, just me and you…breathe in and out, deep and slow." She watched as the girl obeyed. After several ins and outs, May spoke softly to the girl. "Do you remember when you fell out of the tree and broke your arm?" Skye thought for moment then nodded, never breaking eye contact with her mother. May smiled. "You remember you didn't want to drink the medicine, you were so scared." Again the girl nodded and her mother smiled. "But, you did."

"Daisy was with me, mommy. Daisy was right there with me." Skye sniffled, remembering her broken arm and the hospital experience.

May nodded. "Yes, baobei, she was with you and you were both so brave. You won't be alone. Daddy and I will be with you. You'll put on the headphones and when you open your eyes we will be right there with you and so will Daisy. We will all be there and it won't hurt, baobei, I promise you."

Skye looked to Coulson who nodded and then to Simmons who did the same. She looked for Fitz but he had left the room when the girl became agitated. The young man could not stay knowing he had, despite what anyone said, been the cause of some of her anguish.

"Is it the same headphones Daisy used when she took me back from here the last time? When we were together here?" Her eyebrows went up in expectation of the answer.

"Yes, darling, the very same," Simmons nodded. "Fitz is there right now making sure that everything is ready for you and your parents."

"I have to do it now?!" Skye pushed her chair away from the table, stopped from dashing out of the com room only by May's tight grip.

Coulson stood and wrapped his arms around the girl. "No, Skye, not right now. We don't have to do anything until tomorrow. Tonight we just relax." He looked at the large television that someone had salvaged from somewhere. "I bet if we ask him, Fitz can find a way to put a movie on that thing," he pointed to the set. "In fact, I'll bet he can find any movie you want. We'll even make popcorn…real popcorn not that microwave stuff." He pulled back and smiled at the shaken girl.

Skye pulled back burying her face in her father's chest. "I don't want to sleep in the white room, daddy. I don't want to, okay?"

May was at their side, gently rubbing her daughter's back. "No, Skye you don't have to stay there tonight. You can stay with me, baobei."

The girl nodded and offered her parents a weak smile.

xx

Daisy sat on the parlor couch wedged between Phil and Melinda. She rested her hands on her lap and shuffled her feet. She wasn't nervous, just frustrated and worried…worried she would not be able to hold her tongue. May wasn't about to take anymore of her attitude and she absolutely didn't want to take another dose of May's maternal discipline. Nope, she'd had her fill of that embarrassing, let alone extremely uncomfortable, situation. Fact was she wasn't sure she'd be able to look May in the eye again, especially the next time she ticked her off about something. That was one memory that would be forever burned into her memory, not to mention her…

"Skye, you know what mommy and I do for a living, don't you?" Phil interrupted her reverie.

'Of course, I do," Daisy mentally rolled her eyes. "Hell, AC, I do it right along side of you.' She certainly couldn't tell him that, and she had absolutely no idea what Skye thought they did. The subject just never came up. But hell, she was ten years old, she had to have some sort of idea about what her parents did every day. She wasn't oblivious. "Well," she started with a bit of hesitation. "You travel a lot and you don't talk about it much."

Phil laughed slightly. "Insurance is universal, sweet pickle, we have to go where we're needed."

Daisy bit the inside of her cheek to hold her laughter. _Insurance?_ Is that what they were calling it? Really? Insurance? She coughed a few times to cover the giggle she could not suppress. "I'm not a pickle." Yeah, that could hide the snigger she couldn't suppress.

"Do you know what insurance is, Skye?" Phil asked.

Daisy leaned toward him, resting her head against his shoulder. "It's like when somebody pays you cuz your car got crashed." She used silly kid speak to answer, at the same time thinking that she really didn't have a proper answer for the question. What the hell was insurance anyway? It seemed it was just money changing hands. You pay an insurance company every month and if something happens they pay you to fix it. And if you never had an accident or needed it…wait a minute, where the hell did all that money go anyway.

"That's partly right, but what we do most of the time is protect people." Phil explained.

Daisy was never so glad for the seating arrangement. If she had to look either of them in the eye right now she would lose it. But, what the hell, she'd play along. "Protect them from what?" She asked innocently, keeping her head down.

"From things that might hurt them," Phil answered without missing a beat.

'So, you rehearsed this, huh.' Daisy smiled. 'Maybe for Skye, but not for me.' Again she coughed, this time much harder to cover the laughter. She nodded a few times and cleared her throat. "What kinds of things, daddy?"

She closed her eyes against Phil and May exchanging glances. This was better than being a wise cracking smartass.

"There are all kinds of things that can cause harm, Skye. Your father and I work to stop them and if we can't we try to help people get better." May answered with a concerned glance. "Are you coming down with something, baobei." She reached to lay a hand on the girl's forehead.

"You mean like…earthquakes?" Daisy quipped, glancing up at her mother while dodging the outstretched hand. She didn't miss the quick glance Melinda threw to Phil, then turned to looked up at him as well.

"Something like that," Phil smiled down at her.

Daisy sat up quickly and turned back and forth smiling at each parent. " _You can stop earthquakes?_ " Her voice squeaked with amusement disguised as surprise. "Wow!"

"No one can stop quakes, Skye." Phil shook his head and laughed at the little girl, pulling her back to his side. "But if one happens we do what we can to let people know everything will be okay and protect them from being hurt or scared."

Daisy thought about that answer. What this Phil didn't know about quaking was pretty funny, but he was right they did help her to know she'd be okay. A lot of time had passed since she'd discovered her seismic ability, but it was still a little sensitive. Time to change the subject, she told herself. "Hmmm, so you're like the police…protecting people."

"Not exactly, but I guess you could say that. But people don't know that we're like police. They think we're just helping." Phil continued.

"Ohhhhh, I get it," Daisy feigned understanding. "You're like secret agents."

"Ye…NO!" Phil corrected and Daisy ducked into a silent giggle. "No, no nothing like that. We just do what needs to be done quietly and then move on." He made eyes at May silently asking how their daughter came up with _that_ idea.

"Quietly?" Daisy repeated and Phil nodded. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep this up. "So, then how did you hurt your shoulder," she pointed to Phil's injured arm, changing the subject. "And your side," she nodded toward Melinda's tender area.

"Sometimes things don't go as planned, but that's not something you need to worry about." May informed her calmly.

"But I do," Daisy dropped her gaze to her lap and examined her own fingers. "Was there really an accident or did someone hurt you?"

May wrapped an arm around her little girl and pulled her close. "I know you worry, baobei and I'm sorry that you do. You don't need to know how we were hurt just that we're here…with you and feeling better." She squeezed Skye a little before continuing. "Daddy and I try not to travel at the same time. We try to make sure one of us is always home with you, but sometimes things happen and we both have to take care of it."

"Like this time? Like Chechnya?" It slipped out, just slipped out before Daisy had a chance to think about what she was saying. She realized it too late and slapped a hand over her mouth.

Melinda looked at Coulson who was looking at his daughter in pure shock. Grabbing the girl's shoulders, May held her out to look in her eyes. "Chechnya? Skye?" Her tone was more of a warning than a question.

Daisy swallowed her panic. Think, think, think, think…she told herself or you won't sit down til…hell, you'll never see that laptop again. THINK! "I…I…there's a war there, isn't there. War is dangerous for people. Do you protect them from war?" She tried to sound sincere, knowing May would see right through her.

"So you just picked Chechnya out of thin air?" May raised an eyebrow in warning.

"No," Daisy lied, answering much too quickly but keeping her eyes downcast. "It…it was…was on the news a lot, like every day. I just thought…maybe that's what you were protecting people from and…" There _was_ something on the news. She overheard it when Yeye watched the afternoon report a few days ago...a few days ago when had her own body and Skye was here to handle all this touchy feely stuff she kept messing up for her.

Melinda put a finger under the girl's chin and raised her head to look into her eyes. "And, you must promise us you will never say that again, not even kidding or thinking or pretending. Do you understand?" May tilted her head waiting for an answer. Daisy nodded as she chewed her bottom lip. She'd never say anything that would jeopardize any of her parents' missions and Skye would never know this conversation took place so the secret was safe.

"I'm sorry," Daisy offered, barely above a whisper. Quickly she looked up at May. "Really, I am sorry, not just because you're mad at me or going to punish me…again."

Melinda smiled at her contrite little girl. "Is that what you think this is? You think we're going to punish you?" Daisy shrugged and dropped her gaze.

Phil reached out and put both arms around the little girl pulling her back against his chest. Daisy reached up and gripped his hands with her own. She held them over her heart. "Why? What did you do?" He whispered into her ear.

The girl shrugged her shoulders and stared at her father's hands noticing how much bigger they were than hers. "I was kinda mouthy to you and I banged the game pieces."

"And I sent you to your room for most of the afternoon, so I guess we're even." Phil hugged her tighter.

"I shouldn't have done that to you, daddy." Daisy still felt pretty awful about that incident

Melinda smiled at Phil and took one of Skye's hands. "Well, if you're still feeling guilty we can take care of that right now." She tugged Skye toward her with one hand and patted her lap with the other.

Daisy's eyes went wide as she tried to pull her hand back and shook her head rapidly. "No, no…I'm good really. I feel punished enough."

Melinda tugged harder and pulled the little girl forward as Phil released his hold. Ten year old Skye was no match for her mother. 'Oh, please not here…not in fr…' Daisy's thoughts were cut off as Melinda pulled her into a warm embrace.

"We're not going to punish you, baobei," Melinda laughed softly between kissing her squirming daughter. "We just want you to know that we understand how upset you were…" She stopped for a moment and Skye looked up at her mother's very serious glare. "Not that that gives you permission to act they way you have been." The little girl shook her head in agreement. "What we're saying is that if you have a problem you need to talk to us, tell us how you feel, even if it is anger or worry. Don't you think that would be a better way to handle things?" She smiled as she landed a few love taps to her daughter's bottom.

"Yes, ma'am," Daisy agreed.

Phil looked at his watch. "Hmmm, it's getting pretty late."

Daisy glanced at the large grandfather clock in the foyer. "It's only ten to seven." She scrunched up her nose in confusion.

"Yep," he agreed, then looked to Melinda. "When's our girl's bedtime? Isn't around nine?" He asked as if he didn't already know. Melinda nodded her agreement. "That's just about two hours from now, I think."

Daisy sat up from her mother's embrace. It clicked. She had two hours left to use her laptop but there was that caveat about not using it before bedtime. Crap! This conversation sucked up all of her computer time. The words that spun through her head stop right inside lips…only through sheer determination and the knowledge that they would cause her an awful lot of grief. She let out a defeated breath and dropped back against the couch and slumped down into a disappointed lump. She blinked away those damn tears and wondered why Skye insisted on crying at the drop of a hat. Although she really did feel the need to cry frustrated tears.

The girl was so disheartened she failed to see Phil wink at Melinda with a sly smile. "You know, mommy, it is Christmas vacation and I think our girl had a long nap this afternoon. Maybe we should consider letting her stay up a little longer tonight, you think?"

Daisy lit up with expectation and spun her head toward Melinda waiting for her reply.

"Mmmmm, I don't know. She's been very naughty, maybe she should have an early bedtime." May shook her head.

Daisy's face fell again as she slumped further into the couch. She really wasn't tired but if she was going to fall apart she'd rather do it in the privacy of her room. Anyway, the further from her parents she was, the less likely she was to say or do something stupid…again. Damn, how did Skye put up with these two? She wriggled to the end of the couch and slowly stood. Dragging herself to the staircase she kept her eyes to the floor. "G'night," she barely mumbled as she reached for the railing and lifted one foot.

"Maybe she is coming down with something, Mel. You should probably take her temp." Phil sighed as he watched in amusement.

Daisy froze then spun back to her parents. "I'm fine. I'm really fine. I'm not sick, really. I….I…I just need a drink. M-my throat was a little dry." She fumbled for an excuse as she stood on the first step.

Phil shook his head as he stood and walked toward her. "I don't know, Mel." He sighed at his wife who sat on the couch watching. "She looks a little pale." He teased as he stooped a bit to look in his daughter's face. Daisy shook her head rapidly. Phil bent forward and rested his lips on her forehead then leaned back and placed one hand on her forehead and the other on the back of her neck. "She must have a fever, Mel. She wants to go to bed instead of using her laptop for a few hours. She's got to be sick."

Melinda shook her head. "Stop teasing her Phil," she laughed softly the pointed a finger at her daughter. "You have exactly two hours, then it's bath, story and bed….got it?"

Daisy jumped off the step and slid around her father. The little girl launched herself at her mother almost forgetting her injury. "Thank you, mommy. Thank you, thank you, thank you." She hugged and kissed Melinda several times before realizing what she was doing. Daisy quickly pulled back, stopped only by the arms that held her. She stared into Melinda's eyes and saw only affection looking back. Daisy took a deep breath and embraced the feeling she had waited for forever. "I love you, May-ommy." She stretched out the word as she fell once again against her mother and squeezed her tightly.

After a few moments, Melinda kissed her little girl's forehead and sent her off to her laptop. Phil joined his wife on the couch and took her into his arms. From their position they could see Skye seated at her desk happily tapping at her computer keyboard and smiling at whatever she had brought up on the screen.

Melinda rested her head on Phil's shoulder and smiled.

"She's got a future in communications for sure," he quipped.

"Don't be ridiculous," Melinda warned with a snarl. "She's definitely operations material."

xx

Coulson and May sat in the common room silently sharing a late night drink. Jemma and Fitz had said goodnight about an hour earlier, leaving the older couple alone. Daisy had also bed tucked in and was sound asleep in her mother's bunk with that little scruffy dog hugged close to her chest.

"Long day," Coulson remarked.

"All twenty-four hours," May agreed.

The conversation ended there. They were tired, exhausted by the events of the past forty-eight hours. Both felt the anxiety of the coming day, of venturing into Fitz's program and setting everything back to normal. But, what the hell was normal these days. Things hadn't been normal for…for they couldn't even remember what normal was or when they last experienced it.

"So much for taking things slow, huh?" Coulson huffed. May merely raised an eyebrow. "Yeah," he nodded as he threw back the last of his drink. "Guess we should turn in, we've got our work set out for us in the morning."

May had finished her drink and sat staring into the empty glass. Coulson stood and stretched a bit before taking his glass to the sink, washing it and setting it in the strainer. He looked at the back of his partner's head and tried not to imagine what she was thinking or feeling or both. Stepping toward her, he reached around and took her glass the repeated the procedure of washing and rinsing it.

She still sat staring at the same spot.

"Come on, May," he smiled as he pulled her chair from the table and helped her to her feet. "I'll walk you home."

She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips at his jest…always the romantic, this nerd. They stepped into the hall together and walked the few hundred feet to the bunk area, stopping outside May's door. She reached to place her hand over the lock but he wrapped his hand around it. She looked at him with slight concern but did not pull away.

"You know it's going to be okay. Fitz will fix this." Coulson spoke quietly, reassuring himself as well as trying to do the same for her. "Daisy…Skye," he nodded toward the door. "She'll be fine." The pain in his head threatened to burst through his eye sockets.

May looked at his hand lightly holding hers. She stared for a second then wrapped hers around his and held tightly. She needed his touch right now, needed to know they'd get through this new insanity and come out on the other side whole…again. That's what they did and they did it together. "She will be fine." She returned the reassurance with a small smile.

Coulson felt the grip on his hand and the pain retreated. It pulled back as if repulsed by May's contact, as if she alone could drive it away. For that he was immensely thankful. He tugged her gently, bringing her closer and sending the pain further away.

"She's ours May, nothing can change that. It doesn't matter that it's been only a few years. It doesn't matter that we lost all that time. She's here and she's ours." He spoke softly and she merely nodded in agreement reaching up one hand and resting it on his chest as the pain backed away like the similar poles of a magnet.

"Not now, Phil, not here." May whispered. "She needs us…together, but tonight she needs me and I promised."

Coulson nodded, breathing in the spicy scent of her hair as she backed away and the pain returned with a vengeance. She squeezed his hand and smiled…smiled a promise that this was only the beginning as she turned and released the lock on her door. He waited as she backed into her room and let the door close on his silly smile. Letting out a soft breath, he turned at took exactly five steps before hearing the door open again.

May's voice rang in the empty hallway as Coulson spun to face her.

"She's gone!"


	26. Chpt 26 - A Shoe that Clicks to My Clack

_I apologize for the long wait, but things have been crazy busy. I teach and have a problem with an uncooperative assistant. It's been rough the last few weeks. Please let me know if this chapter stinks, because I can't even think straight in my only means of escape. Thanks so much for your time and support._

 **Chapter 26**

 **A Shoe That Clicks to My Clack**

It took Skye very little time to find the spiral staircase she had climbed with her parents. She made her way back to the dirty window and looked down, once again, on the street below. It was dark now. The street lights lit up the sidewalks while the headlights of the cars lit the street. The little ice cream store was still open. Skye could see the people inside the lighted windows, seated at the tables enjoying their late night treat. The little bodega was also open and people milled in and out with various sized bags of groceries. A woman, probably a mother, hurried out and turned down the street holding on to a small boy who hopped and skipped along with her. She smiled at the sight.

There had to be a way out of this broken building. They got in. They had to be able to get out. It was logical. Mommy had told her over and over, for as long as she could remember, if there was a way in then there was a way out. She didn't need any funny headphones or to fall asleep on a doctor's table to get home. She just needed to get out of here and find her house. Mommy and Daddy and Daisy would be there and she'd just switch back to herself. Maybe…

Skye rested Daisy's head against the window. She thought about that movie where the boy turned into a big old shaggy dog because of some old ring. Maybe that was it. Maybe she and Daisy got near some kind of magical thingie and it switched them. There were a lot of movies about that kind of stuff. She watched that dog one with mommy and daddy when she was sick last year. They all cuddled up on the couch and daddy told her it was one of his favorite movies when he was little like her. She thought about what happened before they got all mixed up. Daisy said mommy wanted to talk to her alone and she needed to be 'in charge'.

'In charge', that's what they called it when they traded being the one who did the big thinking or decision making. The other one stayed back and kinda didn't do anything. It was like being in a different room where you could hear the mumbly voices but didn't really know what was happening or what they were saying. Sometimes they did in on purpose like that day they got separated. Sometimes they pushed each other to be in the 'in charge' place and sometimes they pushed into the 'in charge' place. But she couldn't remember any thing that was making them do it other then just them doing it.

Daisy was in mommy's room when it happened, when they got split apart. Maybe what ever did it was in there. Maybe they brought something back from the trip they took and it was weird or cursed and Daisy touched it when she was there. If that's what happened all she had to do was ask her and they could just touch it again and whamo…everything would be back to normal.

Of course none of that would matter at all if she didn't get out of here and soon. Mommy was very good at knowing when she was doing something she shouldn't be and this was a big 'shouldn't be.' Skye was supposed to be sleeping. Mommy tucked her in and daddy kissed her goodnight a while ago. Mommy said she was going to have a cup of tea and talk to daddy a little before she came to bed too. She just waited until she couldn't hear them anymore, got dressed and found her way back to this window. It was pretty high so there was no way she could climb out or down and she couldn't find a fire escape anywhere so how did people get in and out of this place. She really did not like this dumb building.

Walking around and looking wasn't a good idea. She'd probably run into someone who would march her right back to mommy and daddy, probably that soldier lady with the mean eyes. What kind of a place didn't have an exit? How did they go to the store or get supplies? There was take-out stuff in the fridge. How did it get in?

She had to find that door. Then she'd find a bus or a train or something and get back to her house. Nobody would make her stop because she was big. She had Daisy's body and Daisy was a grown up. Everyone would just do what they were doing and not even look at her. And if she did get caught…still Daisy was a grown up. Mommy would yell a lot and maybe lock her in that white room again, but she couldn't punish her like she did with the bike because she wasn't a little kid…she hoped…

There were several doors in this hallway. Skye walked up and down wriggling doorknobs that did not open. At the end of the hall, where the spiral staircase went back down to the floors below she noticed a hallway that ended with yet another door. The girl shrugged her shoulders.

"What the hell," she spoke quietly to herself, liking the way that word rolled off her tongue. "Maybe that one might open." She walked toward it pushing away the fear the darkened hallway created. The girl fully expected another nonmoving knob keeping her from whatever was behind the door and laughed out loud when it turned and opened. She slapped a hand across her mouth and looked back over her shoulder as if someone might have heard. A cool rush of air escaped from the stairwell, Skye could smell the outside it carried. Ignoring the darkness that swallowed the stairs, she scampered down following the breeze and the promise of escape.

xx

Daisy sat in front of Skye's laptop staring at the field of daisies. It was apparent Fitz had gotten her message and sent one in return. Now how was she to let him know she'd gotten it? She couldn't add to the code from here and even if she could he wouldn't see it. The Morse code thing was a fluke. She remembered that goofy commercial that had all the pots and pans tapping out the dot-dot-dot, dash-dash-dash thing over and over while hawking some scrub pad. She didn't really know Morse code or what else she could send. Messing with Fitz's code could cost someone their life. She wriggled her fingers, hovering over the keys.

"How ya doin', sweetie?" Phil's voice startled her and she pulled her hands back. "Need some help?" He rested his hands on her shoulders and smiled down as she looked back and up at him.

"No…no, daddy…I'm aaaaaaaa….just thinking." Daisy told him truthfully. She tapped a key and the screen saver flicked off revealing the various programs available on the laptop. Skye clicked the internet icon and waited for it to load. Daisy grit her teeth at the sluggishness of the system. What she wouldn't give to hack into SHIELD's tech right now. Explorer opened and immediately a pop-up flashed on the screen demanding she load some game that would be the 'answer to everything she was looking for'.

He tapped her shoulders twice. "Well, you just give me a shout if you need me, okay?" She nodded and waved one hand without turning around. Phil smiled as he walked away. His little girl had found something that held her interest like nothing else.

"Doubt it," Daisy mumbled as she hit the close box on the ad. It popped back up in a different spot. Again she closed the window then opened the internet set up box and checked the 'allow pop ups' setting. Pop ups were blocked as part of that net-nanny thing she'd disabled. 'Great,' she grumbled. 'Gave myself and every advertiser twenty four-seven access.' The ad popped up again. This time a little cartoon guy walked across the pop-up and waved its hand.

"Download me with one click." The little man said with a decidedly Scottish brogue. Daisy's eyebrows rose and she watched the little cartoon guy walk out of the picture. A second later he reappeared and pointed to a green button in the center of the red ad. "Just click here," it spoke with that same accent as it slapped its little four-fingered hand on the button which turned a darker shade of green as it simulated being clicked. Daisy jumped back a second later when a spray of daisies poured out of the same spot. She covered her mouth to catch the giggles that escaped. "Fitz, you little devil…"

Quickly moving the mouse to the download button she looked over her shoulder to be sure her parents were not watching and flicked it, then just as quickly minimized the screen to hide it. She was forbidden to download anything without prior permission. Damn, how did Skye live with all these rules?

"It'd be great if you could program some speed into this dinosaur, Fitz." Daisy mumbled to the computer as she watched the progress bar creep toward one hundred percent. She drummed her fingers on the desk and tried not to think about the fact that if it took too long her time would be up before she could make any progress of her own. She side glanced toward the kitchen to watch her parents sitting at the table engaged in a conversation she could not hear. Yeye walked through saying his goodnights then came up behind her to wish her sweet dreams.

"Tiánmì de mèngxiǎng, sūnnǚ" William smiled as he kissed the top of Skye's head.

Daisy smiled as she tilted her head back and looked up at him. "Wǎn'ān, yéyé shuì dé hǎo." She said goodnight as well. She held her breath as William stared at the screen watching the little bluish bar. Daisy knew her parents were not computer savvy but she wasn't sure about grandpa. He was a very smart man and it would not surprise her if he knew exactly what she was doing. He laid his hands on her shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze then smiled at her once before walking toward the stairs and wishing everyone goodnight one more time as he climbed them.

The little girl breathed a sigh of relief and looked back to the download progress….seventy-two percent. She glanced at the countdown clicker at the top of the screen. She had ninety minutes…an hour and a half, with any luck this Fitzie program would finish downloading and install quickly, giving her at least an hour to figure out his message. He'd have to be pretty damn tricky to get anything past his Fitzwork versions of Coulson and May…they were ultra vigilant especially where Skye was concerned. Then again, he had the real deal right there with him. If they were giving him pointers…well, who better to fool you than you! Daisy smiled at the silliness of it all. The laptop gave a soft ping and a new window opened proclaiming the download was successful. She quickly minimized the window.

"Enough with the flourishes, Fitz…" Daisy grit her teeth and whispered a growl. She threw a quick glance to the kitchen and found the table empty. She spun around looking in all directions for her parents, making sure they weren't lurking in the shadows, peering over her shoulders. 'Great,' she grumbled to herself. 'Real great way to look suspicious, keep jumping and checking and they'll be on you in a heartbeat.' She took a gulp of air and forced herself to calm down. No sense _looking_ guilty.

She turned back and opened the window then clicked the button to install, Fitz's game. She rolled her eyes and snorted as the little Fitz character paced back and forth and checked its large watch. When the installation completed the little figure raised its fists and paraded around in a mock victory dance. Daisy couldn't help laughing at Fitz's humor. It helped her feel this crazy situation could be fixed and lightened her heart to know he was feeling well enough to send her such a silly message.

She hit the open key and watched as the screen turned into a cartoon picture of a path that wandered off into the horizon. It was bordered on either side by green grass, trees, and small animals. Above it all hovered a cloud filled blue sky. Yep, the usual cartoon background picture. The little Fitz walked into the frame and stood on the path pointing up at a box that opened and asked the user to type in a user-name. The girl looked at the blinking cursor for a moment before typing D-A-I-S-Y and waiting for the next instruction.

"Hello, Daisy!" Fitz's brogue lilted from the little character. "We've missed you. Hope all is well." A little question mark blinked in a box next to the figure. She quickly typed 'okay as it can be' and hit enter. The character smiled and nodded its oversized head. "Skies are blue here. Sun is shining."

Daisy sniggered at the reference to Skye, letting her know that the little girl was there and was safe. She fell into using the same silly coded language. "Daisies are a little stunted in growth."

"Yes, well the skies are vast and we are working to bring them there to help those little flowers get back to normal." The character smiled. He reached behind his back and pulled out a palm sized flower pot with a tiny yellow daisy in its center. Holding it out toward the viewer the character continued. "We need your help to get this little flower home. Would like to play?"

A small box opened with the character's large head nodding and a second head wagging side to side. Daisy had to laugh again at Fitz's attempt to create a kid-friendly pseudo game that she could slip past her cyber parents with no worries. He knew them well…both versions. Yep, she could imagine Coulson and May being very overprotective parents, shielding her from pretty much everything. Oh, yeah, that _shield_ held a whole different meaning in this Skidaisy's world. Part of her resented it, but a larger part felt safe and protected…loved like she'd never been loved. It really wasn't so bad, except she had to get back and make this right. She clicked the little nodding head and waited for the Big Headed Fitz cartoon guy to give her directions.

"Great!" the character did a back flip and smiled wide as goofy music played. He pointed down the road he was standing on and started walking. The scenery moved toward her as his little skinny legs moved. The big head turned back to look in her direction but the legs kept moving. "You need to get this little daisy to that spot." One of the cartoon guy's hands pointed to sparkling dot where the path it walked on met the sky, it was directly on the horizon. "It needs to be right where you found it."

Daisy scrunched up her face as she tried to decode the message. Was Fitz telling her she had to get herself to a specific spot and if so, where exactly did he mean? She watched as the figure stopped walking and placed the little flower pot on the pathway. It turned and smiled at her. She waited a few seconds, hoping for clearer instructions but the little Fitz guy just stared at her with that big toothy smile. She wriggled the mouse a little and hoped to get another message.

"It needs to be right where you found it." Cartoon Fitz repeated as it pointed to the little flower.

"Damn it, Fitz," she whispered. "I didn't find it anywhere." She drummed her fingers on the desktop and rested her chin on the opposite hand. What was he trying to tell her? 'Right where she found it'…found what? The program found her…it took Skye and left her…left Daisy…she was the daisy.

"I gotta put me back where it found me!" She spoke out loud…too loud.

"Everything okay, sweet pickle?" Phil's voice came around the corner about a millisecond before he stepped behind her.

Afraid to do anything that might jeopardize the silly program. She froze as her father peered over her shoulder at the screen.

"Hmmm, I don't remember this game." He gave her a very suspicious look.

 _'Oh gawd, he knows I downloaded something. I'm dead.'_ It was a goofy thought, but it was the first thing that ran through her mind…her ten year old mind. What if she got stuck her and actually turned into Skye? Daisy shook her head a few times to clear the nutty thoughts.

"Mmmmm…must have been part of the system." She shrugged. "Lots of systems come with games already in them." Daisy toned down the computer-speak to sound like a kid and so he'd understand.

Phil moved to his daughter's side and squatted down to her level. "I don't know, Skye. The guys showed me everything they put into this computer. I don't remember this." He shook his head and sounded overly concerned.

Daisy forced a smile. "It's just a game, daddy." She smiled. "You gotta get the little flower to the spot the guy points to…like this." She took a risk and grabbed the little pot with the cursor then dragged it to the sparkly spot on the horizon. It was immediately absorbed into the sparkles and the Fitz guy did somersaults again. It gave her a 'thumbs-up' and a wink as well. She watched, breathlessly waiting for whatever it would say next.

"Want to try again?" It asked as the two Fitz heads once again appeared and waited for her to choose.

"See," she turned and smiled at her father, "just a game." She mentally crossed her fingers hoping he would take it at that. Phil watched the screen for what seemed like forever then stood and crossed his arms over his chest. Daisy swallowed hard and waited for him to deliver the blow.

Instead he shook his head, "guess they forgot about this one." He reached forward and tapped the timer on the screen. "Half hour, sweet pickle…then bath time."

"I'm not a pickle." Daisy smiled. "I know no extra time and no begging for it either. I didn't forget." She waited a few seconds for him to leave then turned back to Fitz's crazy daisy game. "Okay, I put it where you said, now what?"

She clicked on the nodding head and the little pot popped out of the sparkle and landed back on the pathway. The cartoon guy shook his head. "You must put the daisy back exactly where it was." This time a box opened with a blinking cursor. Daisy stared at it. Maybe this game let the user ask questions. What the hell, she had nothing to lose.

"Me…put me back?" She typed quickly and hit enter. The words disappeared and she let out the breath she was holding.

The little cartoon Fitz nodded its big head and again gave a 'thumbs up'. "So daisy can touch the sky!" It smiled again. She watched as the sky started to turn dark and feared she had waited too long. The little cartoon guy yawned a big exaggerated yawn. It pointed to the crescent moon that appeared in the darkened sky and bent to pick up the little flower pot. "Be sure the daisy is in the exact spot when the sun is highest." It pointed straight up. "Tomorrow we put them together." It smiled again and raised a hand. "Nite, nite, Daisy." The little Fitz guy waved then turned and walked out of the picture as stars appeared in the cartoon sky and cricket noises replaced the goofy music.

"Hey, come back here!" Daisy spoke to the screen and jiggled the mouse, then clicked it a few times. Fitz's big cartoon head peeked from the right side of the screen. She clicked on it and it appeared in the center with the dialogue box open next to it. 'I have to be right where I was when this whole thing started? Is that what you mean?" She typed and hit enter again, looking over her shoulder quickly.

The cartoon guy nodded. "Put the daisy back exactly where it was." It said again with the same dumb smile. This guy was getting a lot less cute and a lot more aggravating.

Daisy thought hard about where she was when she and Skye switched bodies or spaces or consciousnesses or whatever the hell they did. Yeah…yeah, she was in her parents' bedroom and…and May was there, not Mommy Melinda…no it was May, really May and she was pee-ohed, seriously pee-ohed. In fact she'd just found out that Daisy had hacked the computer in Phil's secret room and about Skye getting sucked into the real world with her and about her using Fitz's program on her own to get the kid back home…yeah she was pissed, really pissed. Daisy's eyes went wide. If memory served her well she was in a very compromised position when this whole thing happened.

"Why exact same spot?" Daisy typed quickly. May was about to tan her hide before all this Freaky Friday stuff went down.

"Just to be sure," the cartoon guy actually shrugged his shoulders. Geez, wasn't Fitz sure about this. "Couldn't hurt," he smiled.

"Yeah, speak for yourself," Daisy grumbled, already trying to figure out how to get to that spot with Melinda by high noon tomorrow.

"Nite, nite!" The cartoon guy said again and blipped off the screen as the timer chimed her 'times up' warning.

Daisy sighed as the cute puppy screen saver appeared for a few seconds before the screen went black then turned and headed for the stairs.

xx

Skye took a deep breath of the fresh air. Inside the broken building everything smelled like a campfire. She'd been there so long she didn't realize it until she breathed in the night breezes. It wasn't too late. She could tell because there were still people moving in and out of the little shops on the opposite side of the street. Turning around she looked at the spot she had just exited and found no door visible. It was there, she knew it was, but from this side it just looked like a brick wall. What kind of a building was this anyway?

Shoving her hand in her pocket she wrapped it around the money she'd stashed there. Skye had never stolen anything in her life, but she needed to borrow this cash she found on the dresser. When she got home she'd make sure she mailed it back. This was if she could find an address. She pulled out the wad and counted it. Twelve dollars, she had twelve dollars. Hopefully, it would be enough to get her home. She had enough of this game and when she found Daisy she was going to tell her she did not want to play it anymore. She walked to the corner and waited for the light to turn, then crossed to the other side.

A man bumped her shoulder and then looked at her funny. She said excuse me, even though he did the bumping but he kept looking at her even after he got to the other side of the street. The bodega was empty except for a woman at the register and kid staring at the beverages in the cooler at the back of the place. She stepped inside and smiled as the owner looked up at her. He gave her a funny look too, kinda like a 'what the heck are you doing here?' look. She turned and pretended to look at the magazines and newspapers on a rack near the door. There was one of those big round mirror things above her head, the kind that lets you see all over the place. Skye could see the owner and the lady talking at the check out, but he kept glancing up at her. She tried not to look, but it was kinda creepy and she couldn't help it.

The kid in the back finally made a decision and carried a bottle of blue something to the register and tossed his payment on it. He waved to the guy as if he knew him then nodded to her and walked out into the night. The lady with the groceries was pretty talky and no matter how many times the owner tried to hurry her along she had more to say. Skye would have left but she wanted to ask where the nearest bus stop was and what time the last bus would come. Bodegas usually had bus schedules on the magazine racks but she saw none there. The shop owner packed up the lady's bags and carried them outside for her. She said a lot more but he just told her good night and waved before walking right up to her.

"What are you doing here?" He asked under his breath. "Are you insane?" He looked back out on to the street and then turned to her waiting for an answer. "Did something happen?" Now, he was concerned.

Skye shook her head. It took her a few moments to realize this man must know Daisy and well, she was Daisy now. She wasn't a little kid, even though she still felt like one. She was as tall as this guy and she didn't need to tell him anything she didn't want to tell him.

"Nothing happened," she spoke using the voice she thought was pretty much like the one Daisy used. "I need to get to Alexandria." That was the truth. "When's the next bus?"

"Bus?" the guy laughed. "What'd ya forget how to drive?"

Skye thought for a moment. No, she didn't know how to drive and anyway she had no car. She didn't know where the people inside the building kept their cars anyway. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "I need to take the bus this time." She told him.

"Yeah, well, there ain't no bus to Alexandria, not from here anyway. In fact there ain't no buses at all until Monday and you'd need to walk six blocks to get one. You know there's no public transportation around here. What's wrong with you?" He squinted at her, looking up and down like she had dirt all over her or something.

The girl looked down at her clothing and absently brushed it off. "There's nothing wrong," she told him. "I just need to see some people there."

"Yeah, well it ain't safe for you to be roamin' around the streets. Even in that get up, you're sure to be recognized. I thought you were laying low until this whole mess got straightened out." The guy walked into the store and moved back behind the counter. "Maybe I outta give Coulson a call and just find out what's goin' on." He picked up an old fashioned telephone receiver and pointed it at her.

Skye didn't wait for him to say or do anything else. She ran out of the bodega, turned in the direction the guy pointed for buses and ran as fast as she could into the darkness. She bumped into two or three people in her attempt to escaped and dashed across two streets without looking for traffic. Horns blared and obscenities were screamed but she kept running until she was sure her lungs would burst. Spinning around a chest high wall she fell down onto the concrete steps of an apartment building and tried desperately to catch her breath. Looking up and down the street at the traffic and the lights, Skye had no idea where she was or how to get to where she wanted to be. She rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes and refused to cry. Crying was baby stuff and it wouldn't help. She told herself to calm down. She took deep breaths like mommy told her to do when she got this upset. Wiping her eyes again, she stood and looked across the street. She smiled at the sign on the corner pointing to the subway stop.

Subways ran all night long. They didn't stop. She'd take the subway to the hub and then find the right train to Alexandria. That would work. That would get her home. She waited for the walk sign then crossed the street and headed for the stairs that led down to the platform.

xx

"Agent Coulson, sir," Piper's voice was strained trying to interrupt the heated conversation between the senior agents.

"I don't have the heart to tell Fitz," Jemma sighed. "He's just now been able to contact Daisy with that silly game he devised. Apparently it worked, but she's got limited time to communicate with him."

"Damn it!" May spoke through her teeth as she pounded her fist on the table. "I never should have left her alone. When I get my hands on her…"

"May, she's an adult. Remember that." Coulson tried to keep calm despite his growing panic. "She couldn't have gotten far. I have everyone searching every inch of the base."

"Sir," Piper tried again.

"Her body might be adult but her head is not." May growled.

"Yeah, well I don't think it's her head you'll be after…" Coulson barked back as he paced across the common room.

"She doesn't realize the danger, May. She knows nothing about what happened here." Jemma stated with concern.

Coulson shook his head. "And we intend to keep it that way, but if someone recognizes her and makes a call…

May let out a disgusted breath and slammed the table top a second time.

"SIR!" Piper spoke as loudly as possible. The three senior agents stopped and turned toward her. For a moment they merely stared at each other before the young agent spoke. "We just heard from Larkin. She was in the bodega about…" Before she could finish the statement the other agents were out the door and heading for the exit.

"What do you mean she just took off?" May demanded of the man who stood white-faced before her.

"You couldn't keep her here?" Coulson stepped between them.

The man took a breath, keeping his eyes trained on May. "You expect me to hold on to Quake? What're ya, crazy?" He laughed at the mere concept.

Coulson looked at May and shrugged. "He has a point." He quipped as he walked toward the door. "Which way did she go?" He asked without turning back.

May stepped next to him and whispered, "A moot point."

"The less he knows the better." He whispered back.

"She headed uptown. Lit outta here like her tail was on fire. What the hell's goin' on, Coulson?" The man demanded.

May snorted at the comment and bit back the urge to make one of her own. She planned on lighting that fire herself, just as soon as she got her hands on that stupid kid.

"Nothing, she's just a little restless, a bit of cabin fever's all." Coulson explained as May rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well how about a little warning next time." Larkin huffed. "Lucky it was Mrs. Gabbygutz and that stoned kid in here or someone might have blown the whistle on this whole shebang." He shook his head and stepped back around the counter. "Ya gonna buy something or just waste my time?"

"Thanks, Larkin." Coulson spoke again without facing the man as he and May stepped out of the shop and stood facing the direction he had given them.

"Where the _hell_ , does she think she's going?" May spat, pacing in an attempt to quell her anger.

"No idea," he answered, "but we have until sun up to find her. After that it won't be safe for any of us out here in the open." He nodded at his partner and headed back toward the base. They'd need a car if they were going to make any progress quickly. May threw up her hands and followed.

xx

Skye pushed her fare through the small opening in the cashier's window and again wondered why she was getting such odd looks. Were these people able to see she wasn't really Daisy? How could they? She looked at her reflection in one of the Plexiglas covered displays. Nope, there was no difference. She was exactly Daisy…well, except for the jeans, purple sweatshirt and pink sparkly sneakers. Daisy always wore black or some dark color. Skye never asked why. She checked again to be sure there was nothing on her clothing, her zipper was snuggly up, there were no holes showing her underwear or anything else that shouldn't show. Her shoes were tied and her hair…well, it wasn't great, but it wasn't a rat's nest. Why did everyone keep looking at her like she did something wrong? She pushed through the turnstile and shoved her hands in her pockets as she sidestepped down the stairs to wait for the train. She had to buy two transfers and now had only six dollars left. She hoped that was enough for the train.

At the base of the stairs several people milled around waiting for the subway train. It was late so there really weren't a lot of people, but enough to be considered a small crowd. After all it was Friday night and a lot of couples were off to clubs and hotspots to celebrate the end of the work week. There was laughter and chatter which was an unusual sound to Skye but she never had occasion to be in the subway this time of night or in this part of town. She moved toward the back wall in attempt to avoid the young couples that already seemed to be celebrating. A few couples looked in her direction and gave her that same weird stare before moving away. One person actually smiled at her but when she raised her hand and wriggled her fingers in a silent hello, everyone kinda gasped and moved even further away. Then no one took their eyes off her as she slid along the wall and pushed into the restroom. It was quiet inside, kinda smelly like most subway restrooms, not bad smelly but that air freshener smelly. She heard the screech of the train and resisted the urge to run out and jump aboard. Maybe all those weird people would get on and go away.

Skye waited until she heard the train speed away then pulled open the door and peeked out onto the platform. She breathed a sigh of relief at the empty area and stepped out to wait for the next car. She kept her head down, not wanting to look anyone else in the eye should they happen along. She listened as someone walked slowly across the tiled floor, turned and walked back. She looked up quickly and spotted security guard moving up the stairs.

"Hey!" A deep male voice called out from the opposite side of the platform.

Skye looked up quickly and noticed a very large black man waving at her. She looked at the clock hanging above the track. It read, 'next train in ten minutes'. If the man went up into the station and then made his way back down it would take a while. Maybe the train would come first. Maybe…

"Daisy!" A woman's voice rang out and she looked to see a smaller dark skinned woman step around the man and waved as well. She turned to step back into the bathroom and found the same woman standing in front of her. This person looked at her funny too, but not like the others. She looked more like her teacher when she didn't know the answer to a question or the doctor when he wasn't sure what was wrong.

"What are you doing here? Has something happened?" The woman asked in a strange accent.

Skye shook her head and tried to move away but the woman grabbed her arm and shook her head.

"Stay right here." The woman said in a hushed voice and then she was gone.

Skye looked in all directions then noticed her across the tracks speaking to the large man. She was stunned. How could that lady do that? There was no time to think about it. The sound of a lot of people coming down the stairs distracted her and got the attention of the man and lady as well. Skye turned to see several men in dark uniforms, helmets and face masks exit the stair well and drop to one knee, several more men stood behind them and everyone held a rifle pointed at her.

"Stop right where you are!" A voice commanded. "Do not…I repeat…do not move or we will open fire." She heard several loud clicks and fought the urge to cover her face with both hands.

"I…" she started.

"QUIET!" the voice commanded and she snapped her mouth shut.

A second later the platform went dark and Skye felt someone pull her back faster that she could ever remember moving. Before she had a chance to scream a large hand covered her mouth and she was lifted into someone's arms…then there was running. No one spoke, they just ran. She was on her feet and two someones were holding her arms and running. She could hear a popping noise like fireworks behind her, but would not look back. Then the darkness broke and she could see the lights of the cars and city as they continued to run. She could barely breath…again. The large man was speaking to someone, shouting out street names and repeating west, west, west…over and over. The woman on the other side just looked worried as she ran as well.

They turned down an alley and ran to the opposite end. Tires squealed as they came to a stop and a large black car screeched to a halt in front of them. The doors opened. The man let go of her arm and the woman pushed her inside. He slammed the door and practically fell into the front seat then pulled the door closed as the car sped away.

Skye was beyond terrified. Mommy and Daddy had warned her so many times about strangers that took children and did horrible things. Children that were never seen again, children that didn't get to grow up. She forgot all about being Daisy, squeezed her eyes shut tight and screamed as loud as she could. Someone was calling her name and someone was holding her arms, shaking her gently, but she kept screaming until she felt a sharp smack across her cheek. She snapped her mouth shut and quickly brought her hand to her stinging face. Opening her eyes she peered into familiar eyes. May glared at her with a mixture of fury and relief.

"Momma," Skye breathed as she wrapped her arms around the woman and finally allowed herself to cry.

Mack raised an eyebrow and stared at Coulson who maneuvered the SUV through traffic heading back toward the base. Elena mimicked his look toward May then to Coulson's eyes in the rear view mirror and then back to May.

"Long story," the director sighed as he took the long way leading anyone following them in the opposite direction.

xx

May threw open the back door of the SUV, stepped out and grabbed Skye by the wrist pulling her to her feet. She pointed a finger in the girl's face.

"You and I have a lot to discuss, right now!" She growled at the still sniffling girl then yanked her toward the large doors that led back to the living quarters on the base.

Elena stepped out of the vehicle and looked with confusion at Mack and Coulson. Mack shook his head.

¿Que demonios fue eso? The Latina snarled. "¿Todos han perdido la cabeza? ¿Qué está pasando? Nos vamos por unas semanas y todo el infierno se desata!" She spoke rapidly, waving her arms in tandem.

Coulson watched May drag Skye down the hallway, still reading her the riot act. "No, we having lost our minds…yet and yes this place has gone to hell." He looked from one confused agent to the other. "Hopefully we'll find the way back."

Mack pointed in the direction May had led Daisy. "And that?" he raised an eyebrow.

"That is a very relieved mother furious with her child." Coulson shook his head. "I can sympathize…with both of them."

"And you are going to explain all of this, right?" Elena asked expectantly.

Twenty minutes later May stormed into the common room, slammed a tumbler on the table and filled it with the amber liquid from the flask she held and drank it all in one gulp. She poured a second glass and lifted it to her lips taking a small sip before lowering herself into a chair.

To Coulson's silent question she replied. "She's asleep…for real this time and Chen is outside the door until I get back."

"You didn't…" he began.

She held up a hand as she took another sip of her drink. "What happens in May's bunk stays in May's bunk" was all she would offer.

Elena bowed her head in laughter then lifted her own glass to her superior. Mack smiled and shook his head.

"I guess congratulations are in order." The large man smiled as he tipped his beer bottle toward May and Coulson.

May held up her glass in response. Coulson swirled the liquid in his around before doing the same.

"You understand that is not really Daisy, right?" He asked the couple.

"Sure," Elena responded. "She's really a ten year old computer generated version of Daisy."

"And our Daisy is stuck in the program stuck in a little kid body." Mack added with a smirk. "Why would that seem strange? Just everyday stuff around here." He actually laughed causing everyone at the table to smile. Mack had not done a lot of laughing since the Framework. It was good to hear.

Coulson threw back the last of his drink and stood. "It's been a long day. I think I'll turn in…again."

"Right behind you," May stated as she finished her own drink and set the glass on the table.

"You go, we'll get this," Mack waved his finger in a circle around the used glasses as he took another sip of his beer.

For the second time that evening May and Coulson stopped in front of her bunk door. Chen was relieved of duty and reported no trouble. This time Coulson did not stop her as May placed her hand on the lock and the door opened with a soft shoosh. She stepped inside with him right behind. They stood and looked at the sleeping form on the bed.

Skye breathed deeply, drawing in a few sniffles every other breath. She hugged the little stuffed dog close. Coulson put a hand on May's shoulder, surprised when she did not move away and thankful that once again the nagging pain in his head retreated.

"She looks so innocent wh…"

May elbowed him in the gut before he could finish. "She is a lot of things; innocent is not one of them." She groaned with a soft smile.

He chuckled softly as he slipped his arm from her shoulder and moved to the side of the bed. He bent and placed a kiss on the girl's temple.

"Don't worry, I won't let her out of my sight until Simmons puts that headgear on me tomorrow." She assured him as he turned and headed for the door.

His fingers brushed her hand as he passed and again the pain in his head retreated. He considered telling her, letting her know that just a touch from her stopped the throbbing, but now was not the time or the place. Skye stirred, opening her eyes and blinking at the sight of her parents.

"Daddy…Daddy, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ran away. I'm sorry I made you angry." She started as she began to rise. Coulson moved quickly to her and sat on the bed. He wrapped her in a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Shhhh, shhhh," he comforted. "It's late. Go back to sleep. We'll talk in the morning." He kissed her again and laid her back against the pillow softly running his fingers through her hair until she was once again breathing deeply and snuggling her little stuffed dog. He bent and kissed her again.

"No worries, sweet pickle. By this time tomorrow you will be safe and sound in your own bed. I promise." Pinching the bridge of his nose he stood and faced May who stood directly behind him.

She pulled his hand into hers and watched the change in his expression, watched the pain drain away. "We've got to do something about that headache soon." She smiled and squeezed his hand a little tighter.

He felt his breath catch and knew his heart beat had increased. A warm flush poured over his face and then across his body, like gooseflesh on fire. He nodded into her eyes and squeezed her hand in return. "Soon…" he repeated.

She smiled at him, a real smile, a whole smile, a smile he missed for a very long time. "Good night, Phil." She whispered.

"Good night, May…" he sighed as their hands fell apart and the pain sped back to claim his brow.

He stepped into the hallway and let the door close behind him. Tomorrow…tomorrow he thought.


	27. Chapter 27 - May We Be One

**Chapter 27**

 **May We Be One**

 _Sorry for the long wait, work has been insane_

 _Hope it was worth the wait_

Daisy closed her eyes and basked in the warm water that surrounded her. It was a long time since she was able to fit her entire body, stretched out, in the bathtub. Her feet didn't even reach to the plug when she rested her head on the opposite end. Water sloshed along her jaw line and made little slurpy noises near her ears. She let herself relax and float in the soapy water.

"Hey, Ariel," Melinda laughed as she entered the bathroom carrying a pile of folded towels. She opened the linen closet and slipped them inside, reserving the top one and turning toward the little girl who had not responded.

Daisy heard her mother's voice muffled by the water over her ears. She opened her eyes for a moment and watched as Melinda stored the towels in the closet. She closed them again and smiled at what a normal mothery kind of thing it was to do.

"I think it's time you got out. You look a little pruny." Melinda smirked as she stood holding the outstretched towel. Daisy still did not answer. Melinda shook her head, bent down and pulled the plug.

"Hey!" Daisy whined as she sat up and pushed her wet hair away from her face. "I was soaking."

Melinda shook the towel and smiled. "Well, now you can be drying. Let's go, before you sprout fins."

Daisy blew out a fluttery breath, stood and stepped on to the bathmat. Melinda wrapped the large fluffy towel around her and rubbed vigorously.

"Ma..om..mu..mu..mu…me," Daisy's voice bounced with the force of her mother's attention. "Yu…ooo ar…ra gun…na…na rub…bub m..my sk…skin off..fi..fa."

Melinda stopped and pushed the towel back revealing her little girl's face and wild hair. She kissed Daisy's nose and quickly backed up smiling. She gently toweled off the girl's hair. "No problem, baobei, skin grows back."

Daisy pulled the towel tighter around herself and peered at her mother through the small opening near her eyes. "Not if I'm a skeleton," she giggled.

"Guess not," Melinda frowned. "Okay, I'm done." She wobbled the towel a few more times then bent to look in her daughter's eyes. "Did you brush your teeth?" Daisy nodded. "Then get a move on girl. PJ's and bed, I'll be there shortly." The girl stood staring up at her mother as if she wanted to ask something. Melinda waited but Skye did nothing but stare until it actually made the woman uncomfortable.

"Okay then, let's go. Move." She turned the towel wrapped child toward the door, gave her a tiny shove and a gentle pat. Daisy giggled and ran with tiny towel restricted steps into the hall.

Five minutes later Daisy climbed under the blankets on Skye's bed and pulled the scruffy stuffed puppy into her arms. Her still damp hair felt squishy on the pillow. Melinda entered the room carrying a small stack of folded laundry. She gave the girl a quick smile before pulling open a drawer and depositing the items there.

Daisy watched. She'd never really felt comfortable with anyone opening her drawers or poking around what was supposed to be her room. Of course, no room was ever really hers. It was just a place to use until she moved on to another place that wasn't hers. But here, here in this house that Fitz built out of computer code…here this room was hers, well technically it was Skye's, but she was Skye so it was hers just as much. It felt good. It felt good to have a room. It felt good to not care that someone was putting her things away and sitting on her bed. It felt good to belong. For a couple seconds she wondered what it would be like to just stay here and grow up all over again in this house…in this room that was just hers, that never belonged to anyone else. Just for a couple seconds…then she realized how much she'd miss her own May and her own Coulson and everyone else that was the family she loved. Yep, she loved them all even though it was hard to admit, especially to herself.

Loving someone put you at risk. She told herself that a long time ago. She didn't let herself love anyone or anything so it wouldn't hurt when they were gone or when they didn't want her anymore. It didn't work like that with May and Coulson or with Mack and Yoyo or even with Fitz and Simmons. They just kept loving her back even when she did something stupid…or dangerous…or horrible…or what she thought was unforgivable. They took her back every time and just loved her the same and she loved them back…and she missed them terribly. That thought almost brought her to tears, that and realizing that Skye surely felt the same way.

Melinda snuggled down on the bed next to her little girl and wrapped an arm under her shoulders. She pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "Hmmm, so what will it be, baobei?" She reached for a hard cover book on the night stand without letting go of Skye. "How 'bout the next chapter of Tuck Everlasting¹ or maybe we can start the new Harry Potter one?" Melinda waggled her eyebrows causing Daisy to giggle and squirm into her mother's embrace.

"Can I ask you something instead?" Daisy mumbled, playing with Ling-a-ling's floppy ear.

"Anything, bao bao," Melinda replied, kissing the top of the girl's head.

Daisy looked up at her mother. "You gotta be honest though, a hundred percent. Okay?" Her expression was serious.

Melinda set down the book and wrapped both arms around the skinny little girl. "I will be as honest as I can, baby, but you know I can't answer any questions about my work."

Daisy shook her head. "It's not about that. It's about," she stopped and looked back down at her puppy. "It's about me." The last words were barely understandable.

Bracing herself for the questions she knew would come sooner or later, Melinda took a quick breath. "Okay," she replied calmly. "What about you?"

Daisy hesitated. Maybe this was stupid, but she needed to know. She took a deep breath and picked at the crinkly fur on Ling-a-ling. "What if…if…what if something happened and I wasn't Skye anymore? What if I was someone else? Someone you didn't really know? Would you send me away?" She whispered the last question.

Melinda first breathed a sigh of relief then wonder. Where in the world her little girl get such crazy ideas? She hugged Skye to her breast and rested her chin on top of the little girl's head. "Well, I can't imagine how you could stop being Skye. I suppose you could change your name, but that wouldn't change who you are. It wouldn't make you someone else. Your name doesn't make you who you are, Skye."

"What if I was all grown up and learned to do special things?" Daisy elaborated.

Melinda smiled. "Well, some day you will be grown up and I hope you can do all kinds of special things. In fact I know you will, but even then you will still be my little girl, yǒngyuǎn.²"

Daisy took a deep breath. "But what if I change so much you don't know it's me? What if I can do things that are unbelievable, like…like…cause earthquakes?"

Melinda shifted position and turned Skye so she could look into her face. She smiled as she brushed a stray hair from the little girl's face, tucking it behind her ear. "First of all, baobei, I will always, _always,_ know you. It won't matter what you call yourself or how big you are. I was there when you took your first breath. I was the first one to hold you. And I was the first one to notice that cute little star shaped birthmark on nǐ de dǐbù.³" She tickled the little girl's tummy as she spoke the last words in mandarin.

Daisy couldn't help the blush, realizing that yes, this May knew all about that birthmark that she kept well hidden. _'Oh my gawd,'_ she also realized that this Coulson probably had seen it as well. She was mortified. "Mommy," she whispered. "That's a secret. Nobody knows about that."

Melinda smiled and gave a curt nod. "Mmm hmm, and lets keep it that way for a very, very long time." She tapped the little girl on the nose and stared at her serious expression for beat before continuing. "What's got you asking things like this all of a sudden?"

Daisy shrugged. "I guess I just want to make sure you'll love me even if I change too much."

Melinda pulled her into a hug. "Oh, my beautiful girl, you can never change too much and even if you rock the whole world, daddy and I will always love you. We will love you in the rain and we will love you on a train and in a house and with a mouse and in a box and with a fox." Melinda laughed as she snuggled closer to her child.

"Really?" Daisy still needed assurance and ignored the Dr. Seuss reference.

"Baobei, I promise I will always love you and want you and be here for you." Melinda hugged the little girl again, now concerned with her child's insecurity. Could it have been the recent mission she and Phil had been on that scared her to this point. "You are my Skye, my baby, my little girl, the most important thing in my life. I would do anything for you, baobei. I…Skye… _I would_ move mountains, shake the earth and battle anyone…anything that tried to tell you anything different."

Daisy hugged her mother just as tightly. She believed this May. She believed this mother loved her child, Skye, with every bit of her heart and soul. There was absolutely no doubt that Fitz made sure his creations felt this way. This May…this computer generated May…but…but did that extend to her May, the May that would meet her in the bedroom down the hall at noon tomorrow?

"I'll miss you," Daisy whispered softly into Melinda's sweater. _'I'll miss you, mommy, but I've got my own May and I wish she loved me just as much.'_ She mouthed without a sound. "I love you, mommy." She breathed. "Can we just stay like this, til I go to sleep? Can you just stay right here with me?"

"Yǒngyuǎn, baobei, yǒngyuǎn," Melinda answered as tears rolled over her cheeks.

xx

Skye sat on the floor of May's bunk with her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. She rested her head on her arms peeking occasionally at May's feet as she passed back and forth in her morning ministrations.

When Skye woke earlier, May was not in the room. For a moment she panicked, thinking she'd been left alone until there was a soft knock on the door and Coulson asked if she was 'decent'. Skye had never heard anyone really ask that question. It was something only said in movies or on television. She sat up on the bed as he opened the door and popped his head inside the room.

"Morning," Phil smiled. "Mom's gone for her morning Tai Chi work out. I thought maybe you'd like to have breakfast. I make a mean Belgian waffle." He stepped inside and waited for her answer.

The girl criss-crossed her legs in front of her and set her little stuffed dog on her lap. She yawned and wiped the sleep from her eyes before answering. "I think mommy might get mad…madder…if I leave before she says it's okay." She shook her head and stared at Ling-a-ling.

Phil crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at his daughter's remorseful tone. "Well, I'm pretty sure she'd be okay with us sticking together while we wait and people have to eat, so why don't you get dressed and you can help me in the com…kitchen."

"I dunno, daddy, she was awful mad." Daisy sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not really hungry anyway." She refused to look up at him.

He looked at his watch and shook his head. May was intimidating and who knew what she had said or done after getting Skye back to this room last night. He considered offering to bring breakfast to the room but was interrupted when May burst into the room, surprised to find them both.

"May?" Coulson was just as surprised by her frantic entrance.

Skye pushed herself back against the top of the bed and stared at her mother wide-eyed.

May looked from one to the other and then back. "Chen was gone, I thought…" She glared at Skye, who chewed her bottom lip and looked over her brow at her mother.

"I didn't try to leave, I really didn't." She pleaded.

"Sorry, May. I relieved him, thought I'd stay with Skye until you got back." He smiled. "I was trying to convince her to come with me for breakfast," he looked to Skye who was watching the conversation. "She refused, said not without your permission." He smiled at the girl.

"I guess our little _talk_ finally made an impression, huh?" May raised an eyebrow at Skye who swallowed hard and nodded. "Okay," she turned to Phil, "we'll meet you for breakfast in about thirty minutes." She cocked her head toward the door strongly suggesting he leave.

As soon as the door closed, May stood with her hands on her hips and glared at Skye who still sat on the bed. "I'm going to shower. I expect you to be dressed with I'm finished." She pulled her clothing from a couple drawers. "If you need to use the facilities do it now."

Skye nodded and slid off the edge of the bed, hurried into the bathroom and was back in minutes. May stopped as they passed. "Same deal, Skye. If I even think that door opens…" She left the statement incomplete. The girl took a breath and nodded a second time as May closed the bathroom door.

So now she sat on the floor and just waited for May. She looked at the small clock on the table next to the bed. It was seven thirty seven. She wondered what they would do until it was time to put on Dr. Fitz's headphones. She thought about Daisy and hoped whatever these people were going to do worked, because she really wanted to go home.

"Mommy?" Skye asked quietly, without raising her head. "Are you gonna be mad at Daisy when she comes back?" She dropped one hand to the floor and made little circles on the concrete with her finger.

May stopped and looked down at the girl. She thought for a moment. She was looking at Daisy, yet her anger was directed at Skye…this Skye…this Skye in Daisy's body. Admittedly it was difficult to separate the two. "I'm not sure." She answered honestly.

Skye lifted her head. "Don't be. Don't be mad at her. I'm the one who did all the trouble. She probably misses you a lot and just wants to see you like I want to see my…I mean…" She stopped, remembering that May had said she _was_ her real mother. Skye knew she was, but somewhere she had a different mommy and that was the one she missed. This was Daisy's mom…the mom that Daisy loved just like she loved Melinda. "Just love her, okay. She needs you to just love her, cuz sometimes I don't think she knows you do."

May stooped down and looked at the young girl. "What are you saying, Skye?"

The girl sighed and smiled weakly as May stood and pulled her to her feet as well. They moved to the bed and sat on the edge.

"I've always had Daisy with me, mommy, always since as long as I remember she was there. I used to think she was just in my head, but then she talked to me and answered me too." She scrunched up her face expecting May to laugh or not believe her. "Mommy said she was my imaginary friend, but I knew she was real." She looked at May again, seeing that she was not about to laugh. She smiled a little and tilted her head to the side. "Sometimes she makes me laugh and she's always there when I'm scared. She helps me a lot, but sometimes she gets me in a lot of trouble too." Skye stopped and grimaced when May let out a soft laugh.

"I'm sorry, Skye. I'm not laughing at you, just…well, Daisy can get into more trouble than most." She patted the girl's hand she now held in her own.

Skye nodded. "She got me in bad trouble once when we took my bike out of the shed and rode it into the street, but she saved me that day too. She pulled me off right when the car hit it. Then she pushed me and the lady with the funny earrings away from the other car. My mommy really was really mad. Daisy said it was her fault and then she took the spanking I really deserved."

May nodded. That was her Daisy, always protecting the little guy. She wasn't surprised.

Skye waited until she was sure May was listening. "But sometimes Daisy's real sad. I can feel it, cuz she doesn't tell me. She doesn't want me to know. Her heart cries because it hurts so much and she doesn't know how to make it go away." Skye shook her head slowly. Maybe Daisy wouldn't want her to tell her mom all this stuff, but maybe she needed to know.

"Her heart cries?" Now May scrunched her face in confusion. What an odd thing for a kid to say.

Skye nodded. "She wishes you loved her but she thinks she's bad. I tell her she isn't but she just smiles at me and says I don't know." Skye looked at May for a moment and then took a deep breath. "Daisy tells me I'm a kid, but I'm a her kid. I know cuz I remember all that sad stuff. That's what makes her heart hurt." She put her fist on her heart. "She thinks she broke you and that you can't love her."

May looked away. She loved that trouble making kid more than she thought she ever would and it had nothing to do with the revelation that she was her own blood. She already loved Daisy, already held her in her heart as her own. Nothing would change that. Oh, she made her angry…furious…livid even and there were times when she wanted to kick her ass from one end of the universe to the other, but she'd tear apart anyone else for even thought about doing the same. Hearing that Daisy still felt so heartbroken over everything, made her heart hurt. She knew exactly was Skye was trying to say.

"When I go away today, back to my own house I won't ever see you again, will I?" Skye asked, looking sidelong at May.

May shook her head. "I don't think so Skye." The answer was honest. May would return to the Fitzwork but Skye would not recognize her, would not see her in her mother's avatar.

"I think I'll miss you." The girl smiled. "But you'll have Daisy." She paused for a moment then continued. "So don't be mad at her, okay?"

May smiled as she stared into the childish look on her child's adult face. She pursed her lips and shook her head. "Skye, I can't make you that promise. Daisy and I are going to have to have a long talk, but I will promise that I love her exactly the same way your mom loves you."

Skye squirmed nervously and took a deep breath. "The same long talk you and me had?" She asked as her eyebrows rose and she chewed her bottom lip.

"Well, maybe not exactly the same," May laughed, "but there are some things we need to discuss." She smiled at the look on the girl's face. "So how about we go see what Coulson's got for breakfast?"

xx

Daisy woke as soon as the sun filtered through the sheer curtains in her bedroom. She'd drifted to sleep in the arms of her Melinda mother and fell into a deep dreamless slumber. Now she was wide awake. She rolled over and rubbed her eyes before looking at the little daisy shaped clock on the nightstand. It was just about seven thirty. She bounced out of bed, hurried to take care of business in the bathroom, wriggled into a pair of jeans and a sweat shirt then scampered down the stairs.

"Morning, Yeye," she greeted her grandfather as she slid into a chair and watched as he poured the dreaded glass of orange that would be set in front of her. Taking no chances she gulped in down with a quick grimace. "Where's mommy and daddy?" Daisy had noticed her parents were not in their room. Their bedroom door was open revealing the empty unmade bed.

"Zǎo ān, sūnnǚ," William grinned at his granddaughter. "Nǎinai has taken your parents into the city. I believe they must see their respective doctors today."

Daisy stood, almost knocking over the chair. "What! How long will they be gone? Doctors take forever! What if they aren't back in time?" She slapped her palms on the table.

William stood back and calmly watched his granddaughter's tirade. He smiled as he shook his head. "Such a reaction to your parents need for medical attention. You know they were hurt." Her breath came in short bursts the only calming influence was the thought that Grandmother taking them into the city meant neither was yet well enough to drive. The guilt made Daisy woozy.

"But I really need them today," Daisy whined as she slunk back down on to the chair. "Now, what am I gonna do?"

"Perhaps you will start with breakfast." William suggested.

"Yeye," Daisy groaned. "This is a matter of life and death. They have to be here by twelve o'clock."

William turned away to avoid the small chuckle that rumbled in his chest. This granddaughter was often overly dramatic. "I believe they are scheduled to see the doctor at nine." He slid two pancakes onto a plate, turned and placed them in front of the girl. "I believe that may get them here before your time has expired."

"But anything can happen!" Daisy threw up her hands. "What if they decide to go to their office? What if they get the urge to spend the day together? What if Nǎinai has some kind of plans?" She glanced out the window at the grey skies. "Oh gawd, Yeye, what if it starts snowing again and they can't get home?"

"Sūnnǚ, you need to calm yourself. What is so urgent that your parents must be here by noon?"

Daisy started at the older man for a beat. Even if she could tell him, he'd never believe her. He would just think it was some silly kid's game. She slouched down in the chair and picked at the pancakes with the tip of her fork. "I just need them, Yeye. They need to be here so…so…" Daisy shook her head. She could not even think of a believable lie to tell him. "I just need them to be here." She leaned forward and rested her cheek on her hand, staring at the blueberry pancakes that were getting terribly cold.

"Starving yourself will not get your parents to come back sooner. Perhaps I can help with this life threatening event." William smiled, tapping her shoulder in a silent reminder to sit up properly at the table.

Shaking her head and still picking at the pancakes, Daisy moaned. "No, it has to be them. It has to be mommy and daddy or it won't work."

She pushed the plate away, suddenly losing her appetite. Her stomach actually flipped a few times as she tried not to imagine missing the window Fitz had set for making all this go away. It gave her an idea…well, not a great idea, but an idea with consequences. She'd tell Yeye she was sick….really sick…upset stomach, I'm gonna throw up sick. Daisy didn't know about Skye but she had developed the ability to puke on demand and used it to her advantage on several occasions as a child. Yeye would have to call mommy and she would come…she would always come when Skye needed her. She'd have two major problems however. One would be avoiding Melinda's dreaded thermometer and the other would be avoiding her retaliation when she discovered the lie. Either way she would suffer the consequences…worse case scenario…she'd end up suffering both.

"Good marnin' Daisy!" a decidedly Scottish voice chirped.

Daisy spun toward the sound, fully expecting to see Fitz standing behind her. Yeye stopped midstep and looked as well. It took a second for Daisy to realize it was her laptop summoning her. She almost laughed as she stood and took a step.

"No, no, sunnu. That can wait. You need to finish your breakfast before you begin using your computer. You also must remember the two hour rule your parents have set." William reminded her.

The girl stood, with one foot pointed toward her little desk and the other still beneath the table. She looked at the plate then at the laptop. "I'm not really hungry, Yeye. I think my stomach isn't feeling too good."

William put down the cup he was pouting coffee into and walked to the girl. He stopped and placed a hand on her forehead then shook his head. "No fever," he announced. "Sit, Skye. The computer will wait for you to finish." He smiled down at her. She glared back for a moment before letting out a sigh and falling back into the chair.

Being a kid in this house really sucked! Everyone always reminding her about rules or telling her what would happen if she didn't follow them. She wanted to scream, but that would lead to some other form of persecution. She pulled the plate back in front of her and began shoving large sticky pieces into her mouth. They were so large she had difficulty chewing.

William sat across from her sipping his very hot coffee. He watched for a few moments before shaking his head. "There is a price to pay for disrespect and impatience, sunnu. Stuffing your mouth and choking on your breakfast will only prolong your wait, should I even decide you have earned the privilege of using your technology." He sipped calmly, watching her over the edge of the cup.

Daisy looked him in the eye and saw a bit of May looking back in that quiet threat. She chewed slowly until every bit of the mass she'd shoved into her mouth was swallowed then washed it down with a gulp of cold milk. She cast her eyes to her plate and whispered an apology before cutting the rest into bite size pieces. William nodded his approval.

For a few minutes they sat in silence. Daisy swung her short Skye-legs under the table as she finished her breakfast. William sipped his coffee, enjoyed his own pancakes and watched his granddaughter squirm. Daisy wiped her mouth with her napkin, stood and carried her plate to the sink. She walked back and stood in next to her grandfather.

"Thank you for breakfast, Yeye. I'm sorry I was rude." She kept her voice low and looked toward the floor. William smiled and nodded. Daisy waited a few seconds then asked. "Can I use my laptop now?"

William's hesitation in answering caused her to sweat. She could barely look at him. "Please," she added just above a whisper.

Yeye put down his cup and turned toward the girl. "How much time do you think disrespect and impatience is worth, sunnu?"

Daisy felt the bottom of her stomach drop out. She wasn't getting out of this without paying the piper. She shrugged her shoulders and peeked up at her grandfather. He merely waited for a verbal answer. She bit her lip and took a quick breath. "About ten minutes?" she mumbled. His look told her she was way off. "Fifteen?" she tried again.

William shook his head. "You have been very trying this morning, Skye. Once again you are quite out of character. How do you think your mother would handle this situation?"

Daisy mentally rubbed her backside as the blush covered her cheeks, but she merely shrugged.

"I think thirty minutes will be enough to compensate for your behavior." William pronounced sentence.

"Half an hour!?" Daisy gasped. "Yeye, that's…"

"Perhaps forty-five would be more appropriate?" The older man quietly threatened.

Daisy backed down, taking a breath and once again casting her gaze to the floor. "No, yeye, thirty is fair. Duìbùqǐ, wǒ méiyǒu gěi nǐ zūnjìng, yéyé.⁴" She offered an apology and waited for him to respond.

Once again, William was not quick to answer. He lifted his cup and took another slow drink then placed it back on the table. "I will tell you when your time has expired." He nodded toward her little desk.

"Thank you," Daisy whispered as she slipped away and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good marnin' Daisy," Fitz's cheery voice chimed out of the computer as soon as she touched the mouse.

"Not so far," she grumbled as she clicked on the little box and opened Fitz's silly cartoon program.

xx

Fitz paced back and forth in the stark white room that held three gurneys and all of his computer equipment. He stopped in front of the largest screen and watched the additional information he had created flicker across it. He paced to a second monitor where a childish video program displayed a large headed character smiling broadly. A glance over his shoulder told him that Daisy had, in fact, discovered his cartoon and managed to do a bit of experimenting with it. He could only hope that she got the message he'd sent.

The young scientist wanted to be sure that everything was as close to, if not exactly like it was the day that Skye was whisked into the real world and Daisy became trapped in cyber-land. He'd been through his data and still was not certain how the whole crazy situation had occurred in the first place. It had to be some sort of glitch…at least that's what he hoped. But if Daisy had just told him about her unbelievable relationship with her little-kid avatar things might have gone differently. He wasn't sure if he would have taken her seriously or if changing that relationship would have made things more difficult for his good friend.

Lately, Fitz was unsure of himself, unsure of his ability to create anything worthwhile or anything that would be helpful to anyone. This whole plan was shaky and he feared what could go wrong. Losing Daisy was worse than a nightmare. It devastated the last parts of him. It had May so edgy you could slice yourself just walking past her. Coulson was suffering such blinding headaches the man could barely function. Jemma? Well, she was just trying to hold it all together. And once again it was all his fault.

He had to get Daisy back.

It had taken most of the night to synch the time in the program to real time and he was almost certain he'd succeeded. He knew from experience that the avatars took on a life of their own once activated. They went on living their lives even when he brought the players back to base. He had no way of knowing where they were at any particular time. The code just rolled on and on despite what they were doing, whether eating, sleeping, fighting or crying it just droned on across the screen. Again, he stared at the screen hoping Daisy had figured out a way to let him know she would be where he needed her to be. That silly game he created worked to an extent but it wasn't perfect. He'd tried twice already to start the game. Both had failed.

A soft ping drew his attention to the screen across the room. A dialogue box had opened on his cartoon. He stared at it from where he stood. Somewhere in cyberspace Daisy had logged in and started the program.

xx

Daisy paced back and forth in front of the large sofa in the parlor. She stopped every other pass to peer through the curtains to the street, hoping to see her parents large black car pull into the driveway. She let out a frustrated sigh and turned to the large grandfather clock in the foyer. Ten forty-five…it was a quarter to eleven…a little more than an hour until she had to be in exactly the same spot as she'd been a few days ago when she got stuck in a kid's body…and she needed Melinda May to be there as well.

"You are going to wear a path into the carpeting, sunnu." William shook his head as he stepped into the room to try to appease his agitated granddaughter. "Come, time will pass more rapidly if you busy yourself."

"Quicker?" Daisy spun toward the man. "I don't want it to go faster, Yeye. I want it to stop all together until mom and dad come through that door." She realized her voice was shrill and whinier than it had been in ages. "Can't we call them…tell them to hurry." She slapped one hand on her forehead and the other against her stomach. "I really think I'm gonna be sick. I need mommy, Yeye, I really need her." She dropped down on the couch wrapping her arms around her middle and moaning dramatically.

William smiled and shook his head. "I think your illness is more psychological than it is physical, but perhaps a soothing cup of tea will help calm both." He held out his hand beckoning her to accompany him.

"I don't want tea, Yeye, I want mommy." She stomped her foot against the carpet with a loud thud.

"It seems we have been here once before, Skye. As I recall, it did not end very well for you." Yeye warned in his quiet philosophical way. "Your parents will return in their own time. We cannot change that. You must have patience, young one."

Daisy blew out a breath that set the hair that hung in her eyes fluttering upward. She was pressing her luck and she knew it. Yeye very rarely played disciplinarian but she had shoved him to his limit this morning. The night she broke into and hacked Phil's computer he'd send her out of the room with a sound smack. She did not want to find out if he could or would elaborate.

"Can I have honey in my tea?" Daisy asked meekly, trying to make amends.

"I think I have just the recipe," William smiled as she took his hand.

xx

Skye rubbed her tummy and rocked back and forth in an effort to stop the queasy feeling that would not go away. She glanced at the small clock on the nightstand…eleven fifteen…a quarter after eleven. She had about forty five minutes before Dr. Jemma put that head phone thing on her head and something would happen.

 _What if she never woke up? What if nothing happened? What if Daisy wasn't even there?_

She couldn't stop the questions from swirling around her mind. It made her dizzy. It made her feel very sick. If she was sick maybe they wouldn't make her do this…maybe her mommy would just make her stay in bed and give her some of that awful thick pink medicine. There were doctors right here…doctors with ear thermometers that would help her as soon as they knew she didn't feel well. Skye laid down on the bed and pulled herself into a tight ball. She squeezed her eyes tight and tried to make all the thoughts go away.

May had left Chen to guard the girl for a few minutes while she checked on the Fitz's progress, walking into the room just as he was closing his _put the daisy back_ game. He smiled at her nervously and assured her that everything was as ready as it was going to be. She agreed to have Skye there by eleven forty-five, giving them time to prepare everyone for their 'journey'. They'd discussed the possibility of sedating the girl since she was so agitated with the idea of the whole thing, but nixed the idea. The sedation might effect the success of what they were trying. If Skye was out cold, Daisy might miss her and might not make the connection they were hoping to make.

Fitz wasn't really sure if it would be immediate or if it would take some time. He would monitor all of them but the six hour time period would remain in place. It gave everyone enough time to get back where they belonged. It gave them time to hash out what had happened and maybe correct it on their side of the program. Even if they didn't get Daisy back, they would bring back information that could help if they needed to make a second attempt. He had explained that to Coulson and a very irate May last night and hoped it would not be the case. It was frustrating not being able to just go in and fix this himself but he wasn't even sure he could function at all should he don that headgear and slip back to the other side. He envisioned himself immediately becoming the monster he knew he could be and pulling the plug on all of his friends. No, he would not take that chance…not ever…never again.

"None of this is your fault, Fitz." May spoke quietly but startled the young man none the less. "There's no way any of us could have seen this coming."

"But, I should have," he replied without looking at her. His guilt was evident.

"No, Fitz, this was an impossibility. You couldn't…"

"We live with impossibility every day, Agent May. It should have been something I anticipated or at least predicted." He stopped her before she could finish.

May let out a soft snort. "Like any of use could predict Daisy or Skye and especially both of them together."

"I should have protected her. I should never have let her be hurt." Fitz spoke just above a whisper.

"She hasn't been hurt, Fitz." May reminded him, knowing that he was not referring to this Daisy or to this framework. "We're all protecting her."

Fitz slammed his fist on the counter, causing loose items to bounce and roll to the floor. " _I_ should have protected her."

May grabbed the young man by the shoulders and turned him toward her. "Look at me, Fitz." She spoke to the top of his curly head. "Look at me!"

The young man raised his head but looked past her rather than into her eyes. She shook him roughly.

"I said _look_ at _me_." May ordered.

Fitz blinked the tears away that threatened to fall, but looked May in the eye.

"I had a very big part in that, Fitz. I hurt her myself…" she stopped for a moment drawing a deep breath as she remembered her time in AIDA's nightmare world. "But this is here and this is now. Daisy is not hurt and Skye is fine. All you need to do is get them back home. I know how hard it is, Fitz. I know how hard it is to look her in the eye and remember the damage and I wish I could tell you it was all fake that it didn't really happen, but we all know that it did. It's a tragedy we all have to live with…survive and move forward." May spoke from experience. She could not see this young man going down the same dark road she had stumbled down years before, especially when although the memories were vivid it was all computer generated.

"Pull it together, Fitz and get our girls back where they belong."

Fitz took a deep breath. He had good days and bad days. Today had not started out good. It didn't seem to be getting any better, but May was right. He had to get Daisy back…put Skye back. There was a lot to deal with as far as all of those dreadful memories were concerned but now was not the time or the place. He nodded quickly and pulled away from May, glancing up at the clock.

"It's almost time, Agent May." He informed her, letting her know he was ready and she needed to get Skye to the room.

xx

Jemma knocked gently on May's bunk door before entering. She wore her white lab coat and looked more like a doctor this morning than she had the last few times Skye had seen her. Jemma's smiled faded when she saw Skye curled up on the bed. She hurried toward her.

"Sweetheart, what is it…what's wrong?" The doctor sat next to the girl and placed a hand on her sweaty forehead.

"I think I'm sick." Skye groaned, clutching her stomach.

Jemma took the girl's wrist in her hand and felt her rapid pulse. She noticed the soft sheen of sweat that covered the girl's face and arms.

"Did you have breakfast, sweetie?" She asked as she took one of the girl's cold hands and rubbed it between her own.

Skye shook her head. "I couldn't eat anything, my stomach is all squeezy."

Jemma tugged Skye's hand a bit. "How about if you sit up a bit?" She pulled the girl up and let her slip her legs over the edge of the bed. She waited for a moment as Skye got her bearings. "Better?"

Skye shook her head and leaned forward with her arms across her stomach. "I really feel awful, Jemma." She turned to look at the young doctor as tears rolled over her cheeks. "I think I might…" Skye's eyes grew wide. She slapped a hand over her mouth, leapt to her feet and dashed into the bathroom just as May entered the room.

May threw Jemma a questioning look and stepped toward the bathroom. Jemma stood to stop her. "I think she's suffering from extreme anxiety. I really think a light sedative would be beneficial." The young doctor's tone was almost pleading.

The older agent shook her head. "Fitz said no. We can't take that chance, Jemma. I'll calm her down." She stepped around the doctor and into the bathroom to comfort her distraught child.

Jemma let out a soft sigh and followed.

xx

"You're sure this is going to work?" Mack shook his head as he took a mug of coffee from Coulson.

Coulson shrugged. "It has to work. It's all we've got."

"This whole thing is locura." Yoyo added as she stirred her cup.

The senior agent couldn't help the sad laugh that escaped him. "Understated, but true" he agreed. "I've got to be down there in less than fifteen minutes. I need you two to hold down the fort for the next six hours. I'm not sure how much attention we attracted last night or just what might go down because of it."

Mack nodded as Elena tapped her spoon against the lip of her mug. "We'll keep them from you." She assured Coulson. At his and Mack's look she added, "if they should come."

"There was a lot of action in the tunnel, but I don't think we were followed." Mack stated.

Coulson nodded as he stood. "We can't take any chances. I have a call into Talbot, but haven't heard back from him. The call's encrypted," he handed a cell phone to the large man. "He's gonna be pissed. Hold him off as long as you can. If worse comes to worse, have Fitz pull me out."

Mack took the phone and nodded as his boss turned and walked from the com.

xx

Daisy finished her tea and took the cup to the sink. She glanced at the clock overhead and tried to quell her wrenching stomach realizing there was less than five minutes to get where she needed to be.

"I hope you are now more yourself, sunnu." William smiled as he stepped behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

Daisy looked up at his kind face and shook her head as the tears spilled from her eyes. She pushed away his arm and raced up the stairs. At the top she dug her fists into her eyes scraping the tears away as she marched to the end of the hall and slammed her parents' bedroom door against the wall. So what if the knob went through the plaster, her ass was grass anyway.

The girl glanced around the room, once again swiping errant tears that were blurring her vision. She moved to the dresser and examined the many items there, normal items like perfume. May wore perfume? Not her May, but this one…yeah, well maybe. Or maybe it was just for show. There was a silver comb and a rather large hair brush. For some reason it made her shiver. She swiped at her drippy nose with her sleeve and cringed as the large clock downstairs began to chime the hour.

BONG!

Daisy strained to remember exactly where she was standing. Where was May?

BONG!

The dresser…May was at the dresser with that brush thing in her hand. She had her by the wrist.

BONG!

"I must have been right here..." Daisy stepped close to the bed and judged the distance between where she stood and the dresser where May would have been. She shook her head…no, too far…she moved a little closer.

BONG!

Daisy could hear Yeye climbing the stairs. She considered running to slam and lock the door, but there wasn't enough time. Maybe he'd look in her room first…she hoped

BONG!

xx

CLICK!

Jemma placed the headphones on Skye's head. "How's that, sweetheart? Too tight?" She smiled. Skye shook her head. It really wasn't too bad, but it made it hard to hear.

CLICK!

Mommy stood on the other side of the small mattress and patted the pillow, letting Skye know it was time to lie down. She smiled too. She'd stayed with her all the while she was sick and helped her to breathe in and out slowly, to calm herself and relax enough to make her stomach stop flipping. She did it just like her real mommy always did. She did it exactly the same.

CLICK!

Skye looked at daddy when he squeezed her hand and gently helped her to lie back on the pillow. "It's time, sweet pickle." He told her gently. "You'll just drift to sleep and we'll be right there when you wake up." He bent and kissed her forehead. "I promise."

CLICK!

She watched as her parents donned their own headgear and laid back on their mattress one on either side of hers. The sound in the ear pieces started to hum, like a giant bee. It was soft and hypnotic. Skye tried to keep her eyes from closing but they were so very heavy and sleep just felt so….

click…

xx

BONG!

Daisy looked over her shoulder prayer her grandfather would not tear her away from where she stood. She prayed that his presence would not alter the outcome of Fitz's plan

BONG!

She prayed this would work without May. Fitz hadn't said she needed to be there, just that the daisy had to be put back exactly where it was…but May had been holding her wrist…May was part of where she was.

CLONG!

Daisy swayed a little, dizzy with her anxiety…terrified that this might get worse…what if they both disappeared or ended up in someone else's framework. Could someone else have a framework? What about that Russian guy? She felt woozy…what was his name?

BICK!

The world shimmered and blipped a few times as she felt herself swim in and out of consciousness. She felt the hand around her wrist, felt it grip hard and fast…felt herself pulled forward…pulled away from the exact spot the daisy had to be in at exactly noon.

Everything stopped, like someone hit the pause button and then slowly…very slowly the world started moving again.

Daisy didn't realize she'd squeezed her eyes shut. She tugged at the restraint on her wrist. "NO, no Yeye..no…"

"Daisy?" A familiar voice called her name, unsure in its question.

"May?" Daisy begged, soft and quiet…too scared to hope.

"Daisy!" The voice was certain. The hand on her wrist pulled her forward.

She anchored herself to a stop, inches from the source of the voice and the pull. Daisy opened her eyes and stared into those of May…her May…her May-mother.

"MAY!" The girl launched herself into May's arms. "I missed you. I really missed you May."

May pushed the little girl away and looked into her eyes. "I missed you, too. We both did." She nodded toward the door.

"Coulson," Daisy whispered. She wriggled from May's embrace and scrambled across the short distance to him. He caught her, lifting her into his arms as she wrapped her arms and legs around him in a full body embrace. She leaned back for a moment just to look at him then dove back into the hug feeling May's arms encircle her from behind. They were one…again.

Daisy took a quick breath. "I missed you so much." She blurted out in a half choked sob into Coulson's neck. For a moment they simply held each other. Daisy breathed a sigh of relief a second before her body shivered with gooseflesh and a feeling she was about to puke. It flooded her whole body, made her hot and cold at the same time. She felt her body go limp as she slid from Coulson's arms, landing against May who eased her to the floor. Coulson dropped to his knees next to them exchanging a concerned glance with the mother of his child.

May looked at him then down at the cold form of their daughter. She'd only felt this cold once…no twice before…on that horrific night in Xiangtan and the day Ian Quinn almost took her from them. She ran her hand from the girl's forehead through her hair as Coulson took one of her hands and held it tightly.

Daisy felt the cold and then the heat that made her cheeks burn. She felt May's gentle caress and Coulson's hand holding her own but something held her in place, still and quiet.

"DAISY!"

If it were possible she would have jumped at the shrill shriek of her name, instead she cringed as a small body plowed into her bringing her back to normal. Warmth spread back into her limbs as the fire in her face extinguished. She wriggled her fingers…her own real adult fingers and stared down at the smaller version of herself wrapped around her middle. She had no idea where they were, but suspected it was somewhere in her or maybe both of their combined minds. She dropped her arms around the child and thanked Fitz for his genius.

"Skye," she breathed.

"We're back, Daisy. We're back in our own selves. I'm me and you're you again. You're big and I'm little like it's supposed to be. Mommy and Daddy were…your mommy and daddy were right. I'm okay and I'm back right here in my body."

Daisy nodded as the sick feeling wore off and tried to keep up with the kid who was talking faster than it was possible to listen.

"Are they here Daisy? Are my mommy and daddy here?" Skye stepped back and waited for the answer.

It was time…time to step back and let this kid have her moment, let her reunite with the parents she knew and loved just as Daisy had just done. She'd do that. She'd let her little self feel that same relief…that same joy. In a few hours she'd be back on the table in Fitz's computer room. She'd wake up and see May and Coulson for real. They'd greet each other again…for real this time.

Skye's eyes flittered open. She looked up at her mother and burst into tears. "Mommy," she sobbed as the woman gathered her into her arms. "I'm sorry, mommy."

"Sweetie, what happened? Are you alright?" Phil crooned as he rubbed a hand on her back and helped May to her feet. Skye came with her without losing her grip.

"I'm okay, daddy. I'm really okay now. I missed you so much." She hugged Melinda and glanced at Phil who had wrapped a protective arm around them both.

"Yeye told us how upset you were, baobei. We only went into the city. We're here now." Melinda assured her as she kissed the top of her head.

"It's okay, mommy. We're home now. We're all home in our house. We're here." Skye repeated.

Melinda kissed her forehead and glanced up at Phil. "She feels very warm to me, Phil. Maybe she's coming down with something. Baba says she didn't want to eat and she's complaining of a stomach ache."

Phil nodded as he stood and gathered the little girl into his arms. "Doctor said the flu was going around and this little girl did not have flu shot this year." Skye rested her head on his shoulder and listened to the conversation between her parents. "Come on, sweet pickle. Let's get you into bed." He turned and walked toward the door. Melinda made one stop in her bathroom for the thermometer and followed.

xx

Daisy drifted into a restful sleep in the place she retreated to when Skye was 'in charge'. She wasn't sure what Coulson and May did when their counterparts took over or if they even did. Maybe they just played the part. She wasn't sure. They never talked about it. Maybe they should.

"Daisy," a soft voice spoke her name, but she was too comfortable. "Daisy," it prodded again and she slowly realized she was now on the skinny mattress in the computer room on what was left of the base. She opened her eyes wide and pulled the headgear away, sitting up so quickly she lost her balance and slid almost to the floor before standing.

"May," she said in a soft breath. "May," came out clearing, definite. The need to embrace her mother was overwhelming. No amount of training could have her resist. She took one step and was pulled into an embrace before she could initiate one of her own. "I missed you so much," she whispered into her mentor's ear.

"You gave us quite a scare." Coulson's voice came from behind and sounded stern and firm. She turned to face him trying to formulate some sort of justification but was met by his smile and a second powerful embrace. "We missed you, Daisy."

"You're quite flushed," Jemma announced as she moved closer and placed the cool end of a thermometer against her temple. It beeped quietly and she glanced at the reading. "Hmmm, that's high…even for you. I'd like to do a complete exam, just to be sure." The young doctor stopped at May's glare. "But, it can wait. I'm sure you have a lot to discuss."

Daisy refused to release her hold on her parents. She nodded at her friend.

It felt good to be home. It felt good to be missed and to miss someone…it felt better to be welcomed with opened arms. It felt good to have family…a family that would always be there.

¹ Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbit, Scholastic Corporation, 1975

² forever and always

³ your bottom

⁴ I am sorry I did not give you respect, grandpa.


	28. Chapter 28 - Too Hot to Handle

**Chapter 28**

 **Too Hot To Handle**

"Three days, Simmons, she's had that fever for three days," May snarled at the young doctor who was peering through a sophisticated microscope. It was one of the few things rescued from the debris that was still operational.

Jemma stood up and let out a soft sigh. She quickly looked at the clipboard that lay next to the microscope and made a short note. She finished with a hard tap of the pen on the paper. "Like, I've told you the past two days, Agent May, Daisy has a rather bad case of influenza. I've given her Peramivir and she's doing well. It just has to run it's course. There is no need to worry."

"You know how high her fever's been, Simmons. How can you say she'll be fine?" May demanded.

The young doctor was having a very difficult time dealing with the normally stoic agent as a worried mother. "May, you know as well as I do that Daisy can withstand temperatures slightly higher than the rest of us."

"But three days, Simmons. She's been burning up for three days. She can barely speak she's so weak."

"I've taken X-rays. Her lungs are clear. There is absolutely no evidence of pneumonia, which is the most severe thing we have to be concerned with right now." She explained with a hint of frustration as she stepped around May and reached for an item on the shelf behind her. "I know Daisy is uncomfortable and I am doing everything I possibly can to relieve her symptoms."

May glared at the doctor for a moment swearing silently under her breath in the language the other woman would not understand. Jemma stared back, quietly daring the older agent to continue. May let out the breath she was holding in a loud frustrated huff, turned and exited the small lab leaving Jemma to watch and let out her own breath in relief.

The two parted leaving the subject unresolved and suspended until they met again.

xx

"Any change?" Phil stood in the doorway watching as Melinda stared at the thermometer in her hand. She tucked the light blanket around Skye and turned to face him. He knew the answer before she crossed the room to meet him.

"Still one hundred three point four," the worried mother sighed. "It's been three days and there's been no change. Even the medication the doctor from the agency gave her made no difference."

"Mommy…" Skye croaked from behind them. Melinda hurried to her side. Phil followed.

"I think we should try a cool bath, Phil. It's old school, but it can't hurt. Can you run it for me?" She asked without turning toward him. The man nodded and walked to the door as she pulled the covers from the little girl and began removing her pajamas.

A few minute later Phil had carried his little girl to the bath and lowered her into the tepid water. Melinda knelt next to the tub dabbing a cool washcloth to the child's face. Skye moaned a little, but relaxed under her mother's ministrations.

"Maybe another dose of Tylenol?" Phil suggested as he stood behind her.

Melinda wiped Skye's face again and shook her head. "She can't hold it down. You know what happened with the last dose. It will just keep happening. Even Baba's tea did not help."

Phil knelt next to his partner. "We've got to do something, Mel. I can't remember her ever being this sick."

Melinda looked at him and smiled weakly. She handed him the cool rag and started to stand. "Keep sponging her face. I'm going to change the bed and get some clean PJ's." She walked to the door as he moved to support Skye and keep her from slipping under the water. "Who's on call at the base?" She asked before stepping into the hall. She knew Skye's pediatrician would not make a house call but the base doctor would come with one request.

"Kennedy, I think or maybe Alvarez…I'm not really sure." Phil sighed as he continued squeezing the cool water from the rag onto Skye's shoulders and face.

"Daddy," Skye's voice was small and weak. "I'm too big…" She coughed heavily. "You don't have to give me a bath."

"Shhh, sweet pickle…shhhh, just relax…mommy will be right back." He assured her.

"Not…pickle…" Skye whispered before drifting back into a semi-sleep.

Phil smiled, turning as Melinda returned with a large soft towel. He nodded at her and stood before lifting the little girl from the tub. Her mother quickly wrapped her in the towel, sat down on the closed toilet lid and held her on her lap. Skye rested her head on her mother's shoulder. She shivered slightly.

"Okay, baobei lets get you dry and dressed." She rubbed the towel gently on the girl and looked up at Phil. "I'll take her temp then we're calling the base doctor." He nodded as he gathered his little girl into his arms and headed back to her bedroom.

An hour later, Dr. Ben Alvarez packed his medical items in the small bag on the foot of Skye's bed and turned to speak with her parents. "I know you're both worried, but I am pretty sure it's a bad strain of the flu. Her lungs sound clear. The cough is probably from dry throat. She's not keeping anything down?"

Melinda shook her head. "I can't get any fever reducer into her. It comes right back up."

"Okay," he breathed deeply. "I'm going to give her a shot, hopefully that will help. You'll need to pick up some acetometophine suppositories." He looked over his glasses at Phil. "You can just ask the druggist." Melinda nodded as Alvarez squeezed a quick spritz from the hypodermic he held. "One little pinch sweetie and we're all done." He spoke to Skye who did not respond to his statement or the quick shot. The bed trembled softly as the doctor extracted the needle. He felt the slight motion against his knee but thought little of it. These were very nervous parents it was normal for one or both of them to shake with those nerves.

Melinda had risen from the bed before the doctor stepped closer to administer the shot. She stood next to Phil at the foot of it with one hand on the bed frame. She felt the shimmer as well, almost as if the bed had vibrated for a second. She took her hand away and squeezed it into a tight fist feeling that her anxiety had caused the motion.

"Wait about six hours before giving her the Tylenol." At Phil's pained look, he smiled and added. "Just follow the instructions on the box." He stepped closer to the man and patted his shoulder. "Not to worry, Coulson, it's more a mommy thing." The Doctor assured the nervous father before turning to Melinda. "If the fever gets higher or it's not gone by morning, I'd like to admit her to the base med lab. We've got more sophisticated equipment, just in case."

Melinda tried to hold down the panic that boiled below her heart. Phil moved closer and placed an arm around her shoulders. He nodded slowly, keeping his eyes on the little girl in the bed rather than the doctor who quietly showed himself out.

xx

Daisy pulled herself into a tight ball and tried to push away the throbbing headache. She opened her red rimmed eyes and stared at the glass of water on the nightstand less than a foot away. She considered reaching for it but was sure her arm was not long enough or strong enough to accomplish the menial task.

Raising one finger, she wondered if she could possible vibrate the glass closer.

The action caused the water in the glass to quiver in concentric circles…nothing more. Daisy concentrated and tried again with the same results. Could she possibly be that sick? Could whatever was making her feel like she'd been stepped on by the big Green Guy also be sucking her powers dry?

Dry…she needed a drink so badly her tongue was actually adhered to the roof of her mouth. She wondered, in her feverish state, if it could be permanent, then shook the thought away. Pushing herself up on one elbow she reached a shaky arm toward the glass knocking it to the floor in her effort. It shattered as it hit the hard surface.

"Damn," the girl whispered hoarsely as she let herself fall back onto the pillow and let out a frustrated breath. She peered over the edge of the bed at the twinkling shards spread across floor. Once again she pushed herself up and struggled to pull her legs free to get out and start cleaning the mess. Daisy could not remember a time she felt so sick and so weak. If this was the flu, it sucked big time and she regretted every upset stomach or body ache that made her think she had the damn virus. She hated shots….hated them but vowed to have a flu inoculation every year for…for…forever. She never wanted to feel this way again.

She considered crying…useless, she told herself. Crying gets you nothing…nowhere, beside who the hell cared if she cried. She wasn't a baby…a kid that had anything to cry for anyway. She thought about May…mom…her mom…her real mom. She'd never really cried for her mom, hell she never had a mom to cry for so what was the point. But, right now she felt like crap and everything hurt and she had a mom who was not far away so hell, she let herself cry even though she didn't have enough strength to sob and she was so parched she was pretty sure there were no tears…but she felt like she was crying as she finally freed her feet from the tangle of blankets.

"Where do you think you're going?" May's stern voice came from the doorway. She immediately regretted her tone when she saw the look on the girl's face.

Daisy had not heard the door open. She opened her mouth to answer and looked down at the mess on the floor. Her bare feet hovered inches above it. May followed her gaze and shook her head.

"Get back in that bed. I'll get this." May ordered as she stepped out of the room.

Daisy stared at the empty doorway for a moment, blinking at the absence of her superior office…her… It was still so hard to think of May as her mother even when her heart almost burst at the desire to do so. She wondered if it were all just a fever dream and she'd only imagined the woman standing there telling her to get back in bed…because that is what mother's would do…would say. She shrugged and pushed up with shaky arms to stand.

May came through the door before the girl's feet hit the floor. "I said bed!" She barked as she dropped the broom and dust pan before helping Daisy back down on the bed. She pointed a finger at the girl. "Lie down. I told you I'll get this." She jerked her head to the glass shards that now crunched under her boots as she pulled the blankets back up on the shivering girl. She paused for a moment and looked into Daisy's bloodshot eyes. May pursed her lips and shook her head then placed a hand on the girl's forehead. "You're still a hot mess, kid. Simmons is on her way with something to help."

Daisy groaned and closed her eyes, pulling the blanket to her chin. "I don't want it." She whined softly.

May stood back and smiled at how much Daisy now sounded like Skye. "Afraid you don't have a choice." She turned and retrieved what she needed then swept the glass into a small pile, onto the pan and deposited it in the waste basket. She walked to the bathroom and returned with a cup of water then sat on the bed and motioned for the girl to sit up.

Daisy struggled to bring herself up on her elbow before her mother reached and gently pulled her up, bracing her with a firm hold. The girl took the cup and drank it all in one swallow. May shook her head as she set the now empty cup on the nightstand. "I'll make sure we get you something less breakable."

The girl lay back against her pillow and frowned at the older woman. "I didn't quake it, May. I think I'm broken." She sighed looking at her hands.

"No, you're sick." May took the girl's hands in her own, immediately feeling the heat radiating from them. "Some kind of bug, Simmons'll give you something to knock it out and you'll be fine." May tried to reassure the girl but felt the anxiety herself.

"No, no May, look I…I can't…" She extended her hand instead of trying to explain. May grabbed it and forced it down on the blanket, thinking the girl had gone delirious with the fever. One good quake could bring down the now shaky base. Daisy tried to pull her hand free sending a small shiver through the bed. She stopped struggling when she felt it subside. "See…did you feel that?" She looked at May in desperation.

"It's okay, Daisy. It's probably just because of the fever. Maybe it somehow eff…" May began, trying to appease the girl.

"No," Daisy breathed. "No, this is more. I…I can feel it…or not feel it…it's like it's missing…gone." She was close to tears as Simmons entered the room and set a small black bag on the nightstand.

"Oh, sweetheart, you look dreadful," the young doctor sighed as she placed a hand on the girl's forehead and cast a quick glance at May. She pulled a thermometer from her pocket and pressed it against Daisy's temple. It rested there for a few seconds before beeping. The doctor shook her head as she handed it to the concerned mother. "There's no change." She informed her.

Daisy watched the exchange then closed her eyes against it. Something was wrong. Something more than fever, part of her was missing…the part that made her who she was. It left her feeling more than sick. "There's a big change." Her raspy voice interrupted causing both Simmons and May to turn toward her. Daisy opened her eyes and blinked rapidly. "I'm broken, Simmons. I'm not me anymore. I'm not…" This time the tears did roll over the girl's cheeks as emotion overtook her

May dropped back down next to her, pulling her into a gentle embrace and shushing her softly. She held her while the doctor gave her an injection that seemed to relax her immediately. Daisy drifted into a restless slumber leaving the two other agents to discuss what should be done. May lowered the girl gently on to the pillows and smoothed a hand over her tangled hair.

"Seriously, Simmons…a sedative, that's the best you can do?" May sighed, suddenly quite angry with the young doctor.

Jemma let out a frustrated breath as she dropped the hypodermic into a sharps box and pulled the gloves from her hands. "It was certainly more than that, Agent May. The sedative was added to give her some rest. She's been so agitated today I thought she needed a good night's rest. She'll be out for hours."

May glared at the younger agent for a moment then shook her head. "She thinks she's lost her power." May hated even making the statement. She avoided referring to Daisy's inhuman abilities as her powers. It sounded ridiculous to her, almost cartoonish and the girl deserved far more. "I told her it's because of the way she feels."

"Daisy's powers have been dormant since she and Skye ended up in each other's bodies." Jemma reminded May. "We really never got the chance to ask if she had them while she was in the child's form."

"Her powers don't exist in the Fitzwork." May pointed out, using the term the younger agents preferred to use for Fitz's program.

"Perhaps this whole thing has something to do with all that switching and unswitching." Simmons proposed. "It's quite apparent that she and Skye are somehow connected even outside Fitz's program."

May thought for a moment about how she left Skye a few days ago. "The kid was sick." She said flatly. "Skye was not feeling well when we came back."

"And Daisy?" Simmons asked. "She was there as well, how was she?"

May shook her head and stared down at the young girl asleep in the bed. "No, she and the kid they have…some kind of way to share what's going on. They've come up with a way to be 'in charge' as Skye put it."

Simmons' eyes went wide. "Skye told you this? Fitz will be fascinated."

May nodded. "The kid knows a lot more than we thought. She told me they can step back and let the other one be 'in charge'. Her words…for the one who is doing the conscious interaction. That's what they were doing the day they switched places." She explained.

Simmons paused and stared for a beat. "Perhaps then, this is all connected. Skye was sick before you all left the program. Daisy _is_ sick and not getting better no matter what I've tried. I thought it had something to do with being inhuman but it could be the connection." She pulled a stethoscope from her lab coat pocket and listened to the girl's breathing for a moment before continuing. "I'd like to move her to the medical pod," at May's concerned look she added, "just as a precaution. I want to keep her closer."

May nodded as Simmons used her com to alert her medical techs. They arrived within minutes, placing Daisy on a gurney and hurrying her off to the medical area of the base. Simmons and May followed behind.

"I'm going to fill Coulson in on what's happening." May stated quickly as she turned and headed down a separate hallway. Simmons watched for a moment then moved to do the same with Fitz.

xx

Coulson stood in front of the large window she had stood before with Skye. He peered at the activity below. Life was so out of control right now he wasn't sure he had the strength to hold it together. The most recent trip into Fitz's program had resulted in his adult daughter and her child avatar flipping back into their respective bodies and the former emerging with a raging fever that could not be relieved. He hated seeing Daisy sick…or hurt…or broken…or anything less than herself.

He thought back to the day he found…no Simmons found her. The day he saw her in that Watch Dog infested fireworks factory and all he could do was swallow the elation and let the frustration he felt show instead. Yes, he was angry and wanted to let her know it. He wanted to tell her how much he'd missed her, how much he'd worried about her, how much sleep he'd lost and how much risk he'd taken searching for her all those months. He wanted to read her the riot act, to have the most uncomfortable conversation with her than she'd ever had with anyone in her entire life and then…then he wanted to hug her tighter than he ever had and make her promise she would never, ever do that to him…to anyone in her family…again. He wanted to hold her and not ever let her go again…but he let the opportunity drop like a dead weight, not once…but twice.

She'd asked him if he was going to say anything else when he told her he was glad she was safe. He saw the look in her eye…knew she wanted him to say more…knew she needed him to, but he was too angry and…and…did he stop, just to punish her, to let her feel the way he did all that time he searched for her. If it were possible he'd kick himself senseless. She needed him to be the father he'd always been to her and he let her down…the damage was done and there was no way to undo it. There was no apology that would appease it. It would stand as a schism between them forever…a barrier neither would dare to cross. It made him sick to his stomach.

But this would not be the 'elephant in the room'. No, he told himself. As soon as Daisy felt better, as soon as this whole mess was solved he intended to hash it out with her…to let her know what he should have said…should have done.

"Phil?" May's voice came from the darkness behind him. He'd heard her approach because she wanted him to know she was there.

He closed his eyes for a moment before he turned to meet her. "Daisy?" He asked with one word and felt his heart drop when she nodded.

"Simmons moved her to the med lab, said she wanted to keep her close…just in case." She told him as she stepped next to him and peered out the dirty window. Before he could ask she told him there'd been no change in the fever.

"You know Skye was sick too, don't you?" May asked without looking at him. She was asking more than just his knowledge about their little daughter. She was asking him to verify what she already knew. He was just as conscious of both of his 'lives' as she was in Fitz's version of their reality raising Skye.

Coulson stared at her in the dim light. "You think it's somehow related to Daisy's illness?" He answered her question with a question, but he answered it nonetheless.

"I think they're more connected than we realized and it's effecting both of them." May told him. "Skye is more than just a little kid, Phil. She is Daisy and vice versa. I've got a lot to fill you in on, but for now you need to know that Simmons thinks this fever has something to do with Daisy's ability, or in this case the lack of it." May informed him.

"She hasn't used any powers in days, but that isn't unusual." Coulson replied.

"Fitz told us she had no powers as a child. She has none inside the program. But now that the girls are back where they belong, Daisy's powers aren't." May frowned.

"Aren't what?" The man asked, hoping she wasn't saying what he thought she was.

"Aren't back where they belong," she huffed, knowing he understood. "Apparently, they are lost somewhere between the two of them, or that's what Simmons thinks might have happened. I'm guessing Fitz might have a better idea of what might have happened but we don't have time for theories."

"What are you saying?" Coulson asked, knowing that May was used to action not to words.

"I'm saying that I'm going back to find out if Skye is still sick and just how sick she is. Maybe the answer is there." May growled.

"I don't know May, Fitz is working on it and isn't about to let anyone fly solo again. That's what started this whole thing." Coulson informed her.

"I won't be giving him a choice," the woman stated firmly as she walked toward the spiral stairs.

xx

"Fitz!" May growled as she marched into the small room that held his many computers. He jumped at the sound of his own name, having had hours of silence to process the recent events brought on by his creation.

Before the young man could answer she stormed across the room and grabbed the headset that lay on the gurney she had adopted as her own. May sat on the small mattress and held the gear above her head. "I need to go back in, now." She pulled the headset on and lay down expecting him to follow her orders. Closing her eyes she prepared herself for the queasy feeling that would send her into the cyber world where she would find her child's counterpart.

Nothing happened.

Fitz walked to the side of the gurney and stared down at May. He was half shocked and half appalled at her action. She was certainly not the one he would ever expect to be so anxious to use his program, especially on her own. He suspected that May had only agreed to this preposterous idea because of Daisy.

May opened one eye and stared at the man. "Well?" She snarled.

"What are you doing, May?" Fitz reached to remove the headset from her only to be stopped by her ice cold grip on his wrists.

"I said I need to go in." She glared at him. "Now, Fitz."

Fitz shook off the old fear he had of the woman. "I don't think that's wise, May. You know what happened the last time one of you went in there alone."

The woman continued to glare. "I'm not a child, Fitz and someone has to go in there."

She looked into his eyes and did not see the monster that was 'The Doctor', she saw only the young man that had grown so much in the last five years. She saw the big brother that protected the girl who survived terragenesis only to find she was never who she thought she was. She saw the man who fought to recover from the tragedy of an ordeal that almost took his life.

Fitz stared as well. May wasn't ordering him as a superior agent or because she looked down at him now or ever. She wasn't speaking as an agent at all and he could feel that. Daisy was sick and May was scared. He'd never seen her scared, but she was and he knew it.

Jemma had been here. She'd told him what she and May had discussed. She told him about Skye being as sick as their friend and that somehow Daisy's powers were affected by everything. It was the reason he was running yet another diagnostic. He knew the only way to get the real information was to go in and get it, but could not bring himself to write his own avatar.

"I should be the one going, May. I should be the one to find out what's going on…to get the information we need." He quietly confessed.

"No, Fitz, I'm her mother. I have to go." She squeezed his wrist gently.

He stared for a moment then nodded. "Two hours…I'll give you two hours no more." May nodded in agreement and closed her eyes again.

xx

In a blink May found herself seated on the edge of Skye's bed. She gently brushed the little girl's hair from her brow, feeling the heat in her flushed cheeks.

"Momma," Skye whispered, peering up at her mother with identical red rimmed eyes Daisy had done the same with less than an hour ago.

"I'm here, baobei." May told the child. _Why couldn't she talk to her Daisy the same way?_

"Is Daisy sick, momma? Is she sick like me?" The little girl whined softly.

May stopped for a moment, wondering if the child realized the change had been made…wondering if her trip to the real world had somehow given her the ability to sense it. "Shhh, baobei, shhhh, you just rest." She rested her hand on the girl's head and felt the same warmth she had on her adult child. Her worse fear had come to pass. Whatever was causing this 'illness' had stricken both of them. She needed Simmons. She needed her here, but that was impossible. There was no Simmons in this time line. She had two hours to figure this out and get the information back to Fitz. He could and would figure this out.

"Momma, something's wrong with me, momma." Skye cried.

May pulled a tissue from the daisy covered box and wiped the little girl's tears. "No, no, you're just not feeling well and I'm going to help you get better." She pulled the little girl into her arms, holding her hot little body against her own.

"Did you bring Dr. Simmons?" Sky sniffled and May had her answer. "Can she make the bad shivering stop?"

May kissed the little girl's head. "Oh, baobei that is just the fever."

"No, mommy. It's really bad. It makes my bed move. It scares me, mommy." Skye snuggled closer to her mother, sobbing quietly as the bed began to tremble just as softly. "Make it stop, mommy, please." Skye cried harder.

May felt the soft vibration and knew immediately what it was. She pulled the little girl into a tighter hug. "It's okay, baobei." She leaned the child back and looked into her bloodshot eyes. "Do you remember how we breathe together, in and out slowly." Skye nodded slowly. May smiled back at her. "Okay, breathe with mommy. In deep….hold it and out slowly." She repeated until the bed stopped its motion and the little girl fell asleep.

May lowered her to the pillows and tucked the blanket around her. She placed a kiss on the hot little forehead and moved Ling-a-ling under the child's arm. She'd found the answer she was looking for. The Melinda part of this avatar told her the girl's temperature had been one hundred three point four for the past three days. May knew that Daisy had hovered at one hundred seven for the same amount of time. The similarity was too much to be just coincidence.

Daisy's seismic powers were somehow lost in limbo, attached to both girls yet much less than full force for either. Could this power 'outage' be the cause of these unrelenting fevers? And could putting all the power back in its rightful place also bring both girls back to health?


	29. Chapter 29 - You Have to JumpTogether

**Chapter 29**

 **You Have to Jump…Together**

 ** _sorry this took so long, work is crazy, everyone is sick I know long waits cause loss of interest so hope this makes up for it_**

Daisy opened her eyes slowly, closed them then quickly opened them again. She wasn't in her room. Pulling herself up on her elbows was difficult and brought a quick sting to her right arm. She glanced at it then fell back on to the pillow. Her eyes followed the IV tubing from her arm to the infuser above her head. Suddenly the soft beeping sound made sense. She was in the med bay. Reaching for the tape that held the IV needle in her arm, she began to pick at its edge and realized just how weak she was. The mere act drained her quickly, but not fast enough to avoid her doctor's scrutiny.

"Stop that," Jemma softly slapped Daisy's hand earning a soft growl from her young friend. "You're severely dehydrated. It's only a saline solution." She scolded as she checked the infuser and reapplied the tape that Daisy had picked loose.

"Why…" Daisy's hoarse voice barely registered as she tried to ask what brought her to the medical lab.

"I needed you close. I wasn't about to take any more unnecessary risks." Jemma frowned at her before she could continue. Daisy scowled. "Besides," the doctor continued, "I could no longer deal with Agent May's hovering and demanding an immediate cure." She smiled at Daisy's confused looked. "She may be a terrifying kick ass agent, but she is certainly a terrified first time mum." Simmons turned to the girl and pressed the thermometer against her temple. It beeped within seconds and the young doctor shook her head. When she started to step away, Daisy grabbed her wrist.

At the younger girl's raised eyebrows, Jemma replied in a frustrated tone. "There is no change, Daisy. You are just as feverish now as you have been for days. I don't know what else to do. I've tried everything to break this pyrexia." Daisy's brows shot up farther. Jemma smiled. "Fever…your fever just will not break. Granted it isn't getting higher, but nothing I've done is reducing it."

Daisy squeezed the hand that now held hers. She smiled weakly. "Where…" she croaked.

Jemma let out a frustrated huff. "She's gone into that damned program to determine if Skye is as ill as you are. We think it might be connected somehow to your powers. Fitz says they don't exist in the program." Her last statement was more of a question.

Daisy thought for a moment. She never had reason to use her power in Fitz's program but she was pretty sure Skye had not shown any sign of having or knowing about it. She shook her head. "Never thought about it," she hoarsely whispered as she closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "Didn't really have a lot of use for quaking with a kid," she gave a weak laugh that brought on a coughing spasm.

Jemma immediately brought the girl to a sitting position and pulled her stethoscope to her ears. She listened to Daisy's chest and breathed a sigh of relief. Her lungs were amazingly still clear. In fact, other than the fever and the dehydration it caused, she could find no evidence of viral or bacterial infection. The doctor was frustrated at the fact that she still had no answers. She helped her patient to lie back down and stuffed her instrument back into her lab coat pocket.

"I think that's enough for now, Daisy." She sighed. "I'm going to tried something a bit old school." Daisy's brows shot up once again. Simmons laughed softly as she patted the girl's shoulder. "Don't worry, Daisy. It doesn't involve anything sharp, just very cold."

Daisy let out a soft breath and nodded. "When's May coming back?" She asked trying to sound more curious than pitiful. She didn't want Simmons to know how much she missed the woman's presence when she woke. May wasn't all mushy and huggy, but just her being there made Daisy feel a little better…no she still felt like crap…but May just made her feel like she could…would get better.

Simmons glanced up at the clock then back to her patient. "Soon…Fitz only gave her two hours. She'll be back soon." She turned toward the young agent that entered the room carrying four large ice packs that she set on the end of Daisy's bed. Simmons nodded her thanks as the agent left just as quietly as she had entered.

The doctor picked up one of the packs and smiled. "Shall we get started?"

xx

May spent the last hour of her time with Skye holding the little girl on her lap in the large rocking chair that had always been in that bedroom. She hummed a familiar lullaby and rested her cheek against the child's hot forehead. Phil had popped in twice. Once to drop off the acetometophine specialty he'd picked up at an all night pharmacy and the second time to bring a cup of tea for his wife and ice chips for Skye. May actually managed to get most of the glass of chips into her, hoping it was enough to keep the child from dehydrating. She read the directions on the medicine box and did what was needed without a second thought. It had to work. They were running out of ideas and time. Neither Skye nor Daisy could sustain these fevers indefinitely.

Skye slept most of the last hour, moaning softly if May attempted to put her back into bed. She was ten, certainly not a baby but still small enough to fit in her mother's lap…still small enough to cuddle and hold when she was scared or frightened or sick…as sick as she was right now.

May kissed her temple and hated herself for loving this little version of her daughter so easily while still finding it so difficult to do the same with Daisy. She couldn't hold her adult child in her lap to comfort her, but there were other ways to show that some compassion…affection…love. She could hum that same tune to Daisy…hold her hand and reassure her that she would get better.

But would she…would they get better and what if they didn't. Skye was smaller and weaker. Can a fever kill a child? May thought about all those old movies when a person gives a little cough then is diagnosed with fever and _bam…_ in the next scene there they are standing around the grave site. She shook the silly thoughts from her head. Hell, it was the twenty first century, people didn't die from fevers. But kids couldn't have fevers for days on end…fevers that had no discernable cause.

Skye needed a doctor…the best doctor…

May felt the soft shimmer a second before she opened her eyes and stared into that doctor's eyes.

xx

"What do you mean, you can't do it? You're a damn genius. You can do damn well anything you please." May stormed back and forth in front of Fitz who stood shaking his head.

"I don't mean I'm not able to do it, May. I mean I cannot do this. I cannot take the risk." The young man spoke softly without raising his head. He rubbed the thumb of his left hand into the palm of the right, noticing the callous that had formed in that spot.

May stopped and spun back on him. "So you're saying you _won't_. You won't even try!"

Coulson pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. "May, please. Tone it down. All this yelling isn't doing any of us any good." He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening them to look at the three people staring back at him.

"Fitz isn't saying he won't do this. He's saying he isn't willing to take a risk." Simmons spoke for the first time.

May let out a disgusted breath through her nose and threw her arms in the arm as she once again began to pace. "What the hell is the difference?" She barked.

Coulson pressed his fingers to his temples and took a deep breath before speaking. "I understand you being hesitant, Fitz but this could be a matter of life and death."

Fitz was already shaking his head. "No, no, no, I won't risk Jemma's life, not even to save Daisy. If anything should happen we'd lose both of them…all of them. There has to be another way."

May again spun back and poked a finger at the young technician. "I was there Fitz. I was with both of them. Skye is damn sick, sicker than Daisy if that's even possible. She needs a doctor that has some knowledge of this…this fiasco. You and I…we all know the only one who can do that is Simmons."

Jemma opened her mouth to reply but Fitz cut her off with his own answer. "She can't even determine what is making Daisy so sick. Why would you think she would do any more with Skye?" He demanded as his voice rose.

The tension in the room grew, adding to the pounding ache in Coulson's head. He drew another breath and let it out slowly. "Simmons?" He asked her to verify what Fitz had sad with that one word.

"I'm sorry, sir." Jemma spoke apologetically as her voice softened. "Other than the fever, I can find nothing wrong with her. All of her blood work comes back normal. There is no sign of infection, viral or bacterial. I just don't know what else to do. The ice is keeping her comfortable, but we must replace it every ten to fifteen minutes. There's been no change with the fever." She sighed, resigned to accept her failure to help her friend.

"And Skye's condition is the same," May informed him. "We've tried everything there as well…fever reducers, cool baths. Some Dr. Alvarez wants to admit her to the base medical lab within hours." She spoke to Phil in a tone that was more mother than agent then turned to the scientist. "We're running out of time. We need to go in there and find the answer."

Coulson reached out and took May's clenched fist in his hands. He waited for her to relax as the pain drained from his head and he was once again able to think clearly. "What makes you think the answer is there, May?" He asked her quietly.

"Because it isn't here," she spoke through her teeth, using anger to mask her growing fear. He did not miss the spent tears in her eyes.

Before anyone could speak an alarm sounded…the alarm Fitz had rigged for Jemma to keep tabs on Daisy while she worked with him attempting to find an answer within his program. The small red light rotated furiously as the beeping begged for attention.

"Daisy"

Simmons uttered one word before racing from the room with May and Coulson close behind. Fitz stood for a moment. He stared at his wall of computers, tempted to just pull the plug and walk away but that wasn't the answer. He slammed his hand on the off switch silencing the claxon and turned to follow the others to the med lab.

xx

Simmons raced into the med lab, pushing aside two techs that stood helpless at Daisy's bedside. "We were just going to change the ice packs and she started convulsing." One of the frantic techs explained.

Coulson stopped May at the foot of the bed, holding her back from their rigid daughter. There was little they could do, but watch the doctors attempt treatment. May asked no questions, choosing instead to listen to what was being said. Coulson watched as well, swallowing the memory of seeing his child in this state once before. He'd almost lost her then.

The second tech's hand shook as he held a hypodermic close to Daisy's IV line. Simmons took it from him and administered the anti-seizure drug mentally crossing her fingers that it would have more success than the many fever remedies they had tried. Everyone stepped back and waited for the reaction that didn't come. Dr. Simmons ordered a second higher dose of lorazepam. Fitz pulled himself to a stop just inside the door as the medication took effect and Daisy slowly relaxed.

Simmons quickly checked her vitals and nodded to Coulson and May. "She's fine, for now." The doctor patted the girl's shoulder and placed the back of her hand against Daisy's forehead. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Adults are not prone to febrile seizures. Children grow out of the propensity by seven years of age, yet I can find no other reason for this. We know nothing of Daisy's early years, if she could have had such an episode as an infant or toddler." The young doctor stood back from listening to the girl's breathing and tucked her stethoscope back into her pocket.

"Twenty months," May said softly to no one in particular as she took Daisy's hand in her own. Simmons knit her brows and looked to Coulson who also seemed confused. May shook her head and squeezed the girl's hand before gently laying it back on the bed. "Skye had one at twenty months…spent three days in the hospital…test after test…never trusted one of those damn things again." She nodded at the electronic thermometer Simmons had pressed to her patient's temple.

Coulson stepped behind May and placed his hand on her arm. "Scariest three days of my life," he recalled as he laid his hand over Daisy's and looked to the young doctor.

Simmons nodded toward the ice packs on the counter. "If you gents can give us the room for a few minutes…"

Coulson glanced in the same direction and nodded as well. He moved away from May and walked with Fitz into the hallway. "They'll probably be more than a few minutes." He remarked as he unconsciously paced across the dark hall.

Fitz stayed close to the door watching the man walk back and forth. "I should get back to the program…run a few more diagnostics…see if…"

Coulson stopped pacing and turned toward the younger man. "Are you absolutely sure there is no way to get Simmons into that program?"

Fitz let out a long sigh and shook his head as he looked to his shoes. He did not answer the question.

Stepping closer to the scientist, Coulson drew a quick breath. "You haven't met our Skye…well, the actual child version of her anyway. I think you'd like her, Fitz. I know you would. She's smart and stubborn and full of life. She's questions everything and tests even more." He paused for a moment and stared at the closed med lab door. "She's just a little girl, Fitz. I don't know if she could go through what Daisy just did." He waited a moment, watching as the young man scuffed the toe of his shoe in the gravel that covered the hallway floor. " _You_ made her that way Fitz because you remember Skye…young, free spirited, fresh and bold." He placed his hand on the scientist's shoulder. Coulson smiled and lowered his voice. "I think you know you're the only one that can help her…help them both."

Fitz pursed his lips and looked away, hoping the older man did not notice his entire body shaking with the anxiety this posed. Was it so bad if Daisy didn't get all that power back? She didn't really want it at first. In fact it terrified and disgusted her. She just wanted to be normal. She didn't want to have something wrong with her. Fitz remembered the day he'd told her she was just different. Even then he didn't know just how different she would become. But all that had changed…so much had changed and was still changing. She'd almost killed him when she was infected by Hive. He'd almost killed her when he was 'infected' by AIDA. Did that make them even?

Simmons? Was he willing to sacrifice Simmons…to put her in mortal danger? Would she forgive him if they lost Daisy because of his failure to act? Would he forgive himself? Would she…would any of them ever forgive him totally…for all he'd done there…to all of them?

Daisy would…Daisy did. Of all of them she was the only one who looked at him the same way she always did…even after what he did to her. He still pictured her beaten and battered, sitting on the floor in front of him and feeling absolutely nothing in the way of pity or compassion. He knew she would not survive one more beating and he didn't care. What was one more filthy inhuman?

Fitz squeezed his eyes shut and felt the tears run over his cheeks. He bounced up and down on the balls of his feet and tried to shake off the memories that haunted him. Before he could answer his superior the lab door opened and Simmons bid them back inside. The young man quickly swiped the tears away and joined the others at Daisy's bedside.

The young man drew a deep breath and looked to Jemma before speaking softly. "It will take a few hours for me to create an avatar for Simmons." He stared at the girl in the bed rather than making eye contact with any of the others. "She didn't exist in that time frame, so if may be a bit difficult, but certainly not impossible."

"Fitz…are you sure?" Jemma asked as she reached for his hand…a hand he slowly moved out of her reach. She smiled and swallowed the ache it drove through her heart.

May breathed a sigh of relief and nodded her thanks toward him. He replied in kind, then added. "But…if this is going to work we'll need to send Daisy as well."

"Absolutely not," May and Coulson answered in unison.

"Are you out of your mind?" May demanded.

"She is too sick." Coulson said at the same time.

"I don't think that's wise." Jemma added with concern.

Fitz tapped Daisy's hand lightly with one finger. "This involves both of them. If we're to solve it, we need them together. I can't bring Skye here. Sending Daisy into to that framework is the only option."

"Then we go with her." Coulson stated.

Fitz nodded as he stepped back and turned toward the door. "Then we best get started."

xx

In the twelve hours it took Fitz to create an avatar and back-story for Jemma, Daisy seized twice. Both times she needed more than one dose of medication and both times Coulson and May rushed to her side, each refusing to leave after the second. Neither slept anticipating a third episode.

Simmons spent the time making sure Fitz programmed in all of the equipment she would need to complete examinations and treatments if necessary. Fitz educated her in turn on all of the aspects of the program that might be responsible for zapping Daisy's powers or splitting them between the two versions of their friend.

At three a.m. the couple reluctantly agreed to get a few hours sleep before they put their plan to work. They secured a fourth gurney and Fitz adjusted the newly created headgear to Jemma in order to be ready by the seven a.m. agreed upon starting time. Jemma made one last check on Daisy as Fitz rigged his Daisy-alarm in the couple's bunk. Coulson and May argued with the doctor about their need to sleep for a few hours as well until Daisy's soft moans and restlessness quieted them.

Jemma gave in, knowing to continue was pointless. Even if they weren't now Daisy's real parents they would not have left her alone. She smiled as she walked to her own bunk. Coulson and May had always been the girl's true mum and dad. She'd seen it from the first time Coulson dragged her into the Bus. She'd seen it through May's stern demeanor. She'd seen it in the wishful glances Daisy would throw when she thought no one was looking. It had only grown in the time they'd shared together. Exposing the truth didn't make them a family, they'd been so all along. Nothing could change that…not Crazy Cal or that monster Jiaying…not Ward or Hive…or Daisy's ridiculous need to run away…or AIDA or…LMD's or frameworks or Talbot or… Jemma stopped at the door to the bunk she now shared with Fitz. She drew a deep breath, pulled her smile into place and opened the door.

xx

An hour later the young scientists lay in bed, Jemma curled on her side staring at the door while Fitz stared at the ceiling.

"I'm not afraid, Fitz." Jemma spoke softly to the door she faced, fearful of facing the man she loved. "I trust you with my life." To herself she added, 'my heart and my soul.'

He looked at the back of her head and pushed back the ache of missing her head on his chest…of feeling her soft breath against his warm skin. "I don't know if I trust myself." He mumbled so quietly he was sure she didn't hear. He diverted his eyes back to the blackened tiles in the ceiling as she rolled over to face him.

"Please don't be afraid for me, Fitz. Don't fear for yourself. I know you can solve this." She reached out and took his hand, thankful when he did not slide it away. She used it as a segue, to pull herself closer, embracing the hand and kissing it softly. "I know you love Daisy, Fitz." His eyes darted to her and she almost laughed at his panic. "She's the little sister you never had." She kissed his hand again, but felt the fear still there…the uncertainty…the feeling that he would never again be good enough to hold her…to love her. But she would never stop trying.

Jemma felt the small squeeze he returned then tucked his hand between her own. She drew their sandwiched hands under her cheek and closed her eyes. "Good night, Fitz." She smiled, then whispered into the hand she held, "I love you."

Fitz watched her for a few seconds. He knew he did not deserve her but could not build up enough courage to walk away from her. The part of him that was Fitz, the old Fitz…the real Fitz that he would never again be…loved Jemma Simmons with every fiber of his being. He always would. He rolled on his side and watched her fake sleep, content to keep his hand safely tucked between hers.

Fitz knew he would not sleep. He closed his eyes and ran through the scenario he would put into action in a few hours. He wasn't sure he trusted himself, but he trusted his program. It would work.

It had to.

xx

"I'll be right there with you, baobei." May whispered to her still sleeping daughter as she carefully placed the gear on her head that would take her into Fitz's program and hopefully cure her unrelenting fever. She leaned over the girl and placed a kiss on her hot forehead.

Daisy had been seizure free for the last four hours as Jemma had doubled the amount of ice used to keep her cool. The young doctor spoke quietly to the two techs that would monitor the girl for the next six hours. She handed Agent Calvey the clipboard that held the instructions she had just verbally reviewed with her and Agent Rosario. She had them repeat the orders back to her and assured them that Fitz would be supervising their actions. While the young doctor held no fear for her own safety while in the program she was anxious about leaving her patient.

She quickly checked Daisy's vitals as she usually did before any trip into Fitz's program then moved to do the same with Coulson and May. Coulson cringed as the head piece was pulled into place, now even feeling the pain when gently touched. Simmons had given up trying to convince him not to enter the program any more, fearing it was the cause of his pain. The man knew better. He'd finally realized that he himself was the cause of the pain. He was pretty sure he knew how to alleviate it, but it would have to wait until Daisy _and_ Skye were safe. He eye told her to keep quiet and laid back closing his eyes as he waited for the quiver that would send him to his _other_ life.

May was reluctant to let go of Daisy's warm hand and only did so when Simmons reminded her they would only be apart for a few minutes. She pushed the gurneys close enough together that the mother could touch her child, then secured May and nodded to Fitz that all was fine.

The young doctor took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the last gurney. Agent Calvey stepped next to her and monitored her vitals while Jemma placed the gear on her own head. At Calvey's nod she lay back on the small pillow and closed her eyes. She folded her hands over her chest and waited. Startled by the soft touch on her forearm, she opened her eyes and looked into the pale blue of Fitz's. He smiled weakly.

"Be careful, Jemma. I can't protect you in there, but I'll be here when you come back." He squeezed her hand. It wasn't much, but for now it was all he could give her.

For her, it was enough. Jemma smiled, nodded and closed her eyes.

xx

Jemma barely felt the quiver that sent her into another world. After digging herself out of a mass grave in AIDA's nightmare world, bumping her head on a large door while standing ankle deep in fresh snow was a breeze. She reached up and hit the brass knocker three times, then reached down to hold the heavy bag she realized she was gripping with one hand. She blew out a frosty breath as she scanned the snowscape.

The house was large, but modest…red brick with a small stoop instead of a large porch. Large bay windows with curtains drawn faced the street that was populated with several similar homes. A long driveway ran alongside the house. A black SUV was parked at its end. Jemma assumed it was the car that brought her here, as there was no snow on it. She shivered and turned to bang the knocker again when the door was pulled open. An older Asian man stood inside.

"Are you the new doctor?" He asked in a soft gentle voice.

Jemma smiled and nodded as she extended her hand. "Yes, sir, I'm Dr. Jemma Simmons. I'm a specialist, here to see D…Skye." She explained as she stomped the snow from her boot and stepped around him into the house.

"Yes, my daughter speaks highly of you, Dr. Simmons." He helped her remove her heavy coat. "It is good of you to come, especially in this unfavorable weather." Jemma slipped off her boots and retrieved the flat shoes she somehow knew were the bag she had placed on the floor. She placed them on the floor and slid them onto her feet. "Would you care for a hot tea, doctor? It is quite cold."

Jemma smiled at the man, already admiring the gentle man that was May's father. "No thank you, sir. I think I shall see the patient straight away."

William smiled at the young doctor and motioned for her to follow him as he headed up the stairs. She slung one of her bags over her shoulder and picked up the other then followed.

xx

William knocked softly on the door before pushing it open. "Yīshēng zài zhèlǐ tā hěn niánqīng. Nǐ quèdìng zhège, nǚ'ér ma?¹" He spoke to his daughter with a smile.

Melinda turned from where she sat on a small bed. She looked around her father to the young doctor still standing in the hall. She was younger…softer…but definitely May. Jemma smiled in recognition.

"Yes, Baba, yes." She answered her father as she stood and reached a hand toward Simmons. "Please Dr. Simmons, please come in." The tone in her voice was one of relief.

"It's good to see you Dr. Simmons." Phil's voice came from behind the door as he stepped into view and took the large bag from the young doctor.

Jemma smiled at him. Coulson was also younger, but other than that he was…well, he was Coulson. She stared at him for only a moment but even in that short time she knew that here he did not suffer with the pain he did in their reality. He put her bag down on the bottom of the bed and stepped aside giving her full view of the little girl resting there.

The doctor stepped closer and placed a hand on the little girl's head. She pulled her bag closer and took out the electronic thermometer. Melinda placed a hand on Jemma's wrist stopping her. Jemma turned and gave a surprised look.

"No, doctor, we don't use those here. I don't trust them at all." She took the thermometer from the small case on the nightstand and held it out to Simmons. The doctor hesitated for a moment, recognizing the instrument. "Please," Melinda sighed. The doctor smiled and took the thermometer as the men stepped into the hall.

Three minutes later Melinda shushed her child as Jemma glared at the instrument. "It hasn't changed at all in four days?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"We've tried everything. Nothing helps." Melinda almost sobbed as she pushed Skye's damp hair away from her forehead.

A soft quiver shook the room almost as if everything turned to gelatin then back again. Melinda pulled herself into a more rigid stance that told Jemma May had arrived. Skye moaned and squirmed, kicking her feet a few times before settling again. She slowly opened her eyes and blinked at the light in her room.

"Mommy," the little girl whispered as she reached for May. "I knew you'd come, Mommy."

May glanced at Simmons for a second before gathering the little girl into her arms. "We're here, baobei, we're here. Everything's going to be fine, sweet girl. I promise." She kissed the girl's head and rocked her gently.

Skye snuggled into the embrace. "Daisy's here, Mommy." The little girl tapped her hand on her own chest. "She's right here. She says Jemma's gonna make us better now. Okay, mommy?" Skye spoke in a mumble, with her eyes closed as if in some fevered dream.

Jemma watched as May rocked the little girl gently and shushed her softly. She smiled at the sight of a mother comforting her child. This was the easy part…holding and loving a small innocent child. Skye was tiny even for a ten year old. Jemma recognized the girl's soft dark hair and dark eyes. Even the child's little voice held the promise of one day becoming the woman Jemma knew as Daisy. The doctor could not imagine how anyone could reject this tiny person. She brought herself back and shook of the sentimentality of the moment. Right now she needed to be a doctor…the doctor that would bring both girls back to health and hopefully put all of Quake's power where it belonged.

Jemma reached out and brushed the hair from Skye's forehead. "Hello, sweetheart," she crooned in her usual soft manner. "I've heard you're not feeling well, darling. Can you tell me if anything hurts?" She bent closer to the girl in order to hear her soft reply.

Skye shook her head slowly and opened her watery bloodshot eyes. "I don't like the shaking. I don't like it." The little girl sobbed weakly.

"Well, I'm going to try very hard to fix that, darling." Jemma rubbed the child's back as she looked to May trying to keep the anxiety at bay.

Coulson stepped back into the room and joined the women. He took Skye from Melinda's arms. "We've been giving her cool baths every two or three hours. It doesn't bring the fever down, but it makes her more comfortable." He kissed the little girl's cheek and rocked her side to side.

"It is probably been helping immensely." Jemma nodded. "There've been no seizures, then?" Both parents shook their heads. Jemma sighed in relief. "That is very good." Again she moved close to the little girl and laid a hand on her back.

"Skye, sweetie, can you tell me about the shaking? Can you tell me what makes it happen?" Jemma almost whispered to the drowsy child. Skye swallowed and blinked a few times before shaking her head once. Jemma resisted the urge to huff in disgust. This just couldn't be easy. "Sweetheart," she tried again. "I want to help you, but I need you to help me do that."

The little girl opened her eyes again. Tears ran over her cheeks. "I don't know what makes it shake. It just does and it makes me hum inside. The other doctor made it shake." She closed her eyes again and turned her head into her father's neck.

"He gave her a shot," Coulson half smiled. "She's not really a fan."

Jemma rubbed the girl's back and smiled as well. "No, she isn't." She turned to May. "Have you noticed it any other time?"

"Usually when we put her into the bath and again when we take her from it. I thought it was just the temperature change, but the shaking is more intense than a mere chill." The mother explained as she took the little girl and began relieving her of the sweaty pajamas she wore. Coulson stepped from the room to run the water for his daughter's bath.

"You've got to do something, Simmons. She's weaker than she was less than twenty four hours ago." May spoke in her usual tone. She wrapped a light blanket around the girl and carried her from the room.

Thirty minutes later Skye was asleep. Her bed had fresh linens and she'd been given the latest dose of acetometophine. Jemma experienced the soft quake that shook the bathroom as Coulson lowered his child into the tepid water. She watched the quiver that spread over the water's surface and churned it slowly into tiny waves before Skye relaxed into the tub. The tremors stopped as May sponged the girl's face and head with a cool rag. The action repeated when Coulson lifted the weak little girl out of the water and May wrapped her in a large towel. It was clear that at least a portion of Daisy's power had taken up residence in Skye's small body.

Jemma now stood by as May stuffed sheets, blankets and bed clothes into the large washing machine in the Coulson Family's basement. Coulson remained next to his child's bed, as at least one parent or grandparent was always present.

"She is definitely in the same condition as Daisy, but I'm not sure what I can do." The doctor sighed as May let the lid on the machine slam shut.

"That's not what I need to hear, Simmons." May stated without emotion. "We brought you here to make this right. Don't start by saying you aren't sure."

Jemma thought for a moment. "I've only spoken to Skye. I need to make contact with Daisy. How do you know when she's here?"

May let out a small laugh. "You know." She stated simply. "Her attitude generally gives her away and earns her a couple warnings before she finds sitting a little uncomfortable."

Jemma bowed her head to hide the blush that covered her cheeks. 'Poor Daisy,' she thought, sympathizing her friends plight but at the same time understanding May's impatience with the mostly stubborn, snarky youngster. She glanced up at May. "Then I'm thinking we haven't seen her at all yet. I hope she isn't too weak to make some kind of contact." It slipped out as she thought it. The look on May's face said it all. The doctor had put into the words everyone's greatest fear.

May drew a shaky breath then pulled her mask back into place. She spoke through her teeth. "She won't sleep long. When she wakes up we'll speak to Daisy."

xx

Jemma finally accepted the tea William had offered and sat with the older man talking about nothing as they both tried to pass the time while her patient slept. Melinda relieved Phil who spent the time locked in his small office, keeping himself busy while he too waited.

Skye didn't wake refreshed and ready for play. She merely moaned a few times and squirmed under her light blanket before blinking her eyes open and hoarsely calling for her mother. May offered her ice chips that the girl took hesitantly.

Simmons entered and exchanged places with May, sitting next to the child on the edge of the bed. She took Skye's hand in her own and smiled. "Skye," she began, hoping not to make the child anxious but felt the soft quiver that gently jostled the bed. Skye gripped her hand tightly and mewled. "Shh, shh," Jemma comforted.

"No shots, Jemma, no shots…" Skye begged in a small crackling voice as the tremor intensified.

"No, no, no, no, sweet thing, no shots. No…" Jemma kissed the little girl's finger tips as she reassured her. She cast a glance over her shoulder at May who moved closer encouraging the child to breathe deeply by modeling the action. The doctor waited for the child to relax then started again. This time she kept an even tone.

"Skye, you said Daisy was here." Jemma waited until the little girl nodded. "Do you think I could speak with her?" At Skye's surprised look she glanced at May and added. "Your mum told me you and Daisy can take turns being 'in control'. Is that true?" Skye took a breath and glanced at May before nodding slowly. She looked back to Simmons. "That's splendid, Skye," the doctor smiled. "I think if I talk to Daisy we might be able to fix all this shaking. I think Daisy can help. Do you think I could speak with her for just a little while?"

Skye closed her eyes.

Jemma waited.

xx

 _'Daisy? Daisy are you awake?'_ Skye's young voice pierced the place that was neither here nor there…the place she could always find her adult self.

 _'Hey, kid,'_ Daisy answered back, her voice gravely and weak. She pulled herself to her feet and moved to meet her little self.

Skye stood in her bare feet, clad in penguin print PJ's. She looked up at her tall counterpart. ' _Daisy, you look terrible.'_ She gasped as she reached to take the older girl's hand.

Daisy sniggered as she pulled her hand back and wiped the sheen of sweat from her forehead. She too stood barefoot in oversized sweats emblazoned with the old SHIELD Academy logo. _'You look like hell yourself, short stuff.'_ She looked at Skye's outstretched hand and the frown that clouded her face. _'Probably not a good idea to share germs right now, huh?'_ She looked at her own hand then wiped it on her thigh.

' _Oh, uh-huh,'_ Skye agreed stared at her own hand for a moment and then did the same thing. _'Jemma's here. She wants to talk to you.'_ The little girl looked up at Daisy and explained the situation.

 _'Wow,'_ Daisy's brows went high. ' _That's new. Fitz really outdid himself. Can't believe he'd even consider that risk.'_ She spoke more to herself than to the little girl…which would be talking to herself. Gawd she couldn't start that again. She didn't need a headache on top of everything else.

 _'I don't like the shaking, Daisy. It scares me.'_ Skye spoke to her toes, almost ashamed to look at her big self.

 _'Yeah, it is pretty scary at first,'_ Daisy remembered those first few days and the terror that almost paralyzed her.

 _'You feel it too?'_ Skye looked up.

Daisy nodded. _'Not so much right now, but I hope Jemma's here to help.'_

 _'Do you shake all the time?'_ Skye asked quietly.

Daisy shook her head.

 _'Will I?'_ Skye asked even quieter. _'Will I shake when I grow up…like you…will I hurt too?'_ She rubbed one hand up the length of the opposite arm.

Daisy ran her own hand up her arm and felt the incredible pain that wracked her limb on more occasions than she cared to admit. _'Not gonna let that happen, kid.'_ Daisy lied, not able to look her child-self in the eye.

Skye let out a small snort and looked sideways at Daisy. _'You know I know when you're lying, right?'_

Daisy smiled as she folded her arms over her chest. _'To thine own self be true, I guess. The truth is, kid, you don't need to worry about it. It all works out…eventually.'_

 _'Yeye says Rúguǒ wǒmen děngdài, yīqiè dōu biàn dé zhèngquè.'_ Skye nodded.

 _'Everything is right if we wait long enough.'_ Daisy translated. They smiled at each other for a beat. _'It's not so bad here, kiddo. You might feel a little better and hey, big benefit…no shaking at all.'_ She gave the little girl a thumbs-up that brought a wide smile to Skye's face. _'How 'bout I go chat with Simmons?'_

xx

"Skye?" Jemma waited for an answer, hoping the little girl had not fallen asleep again. What had seemed like a fair amount of time to Daisy was only a few seconds to the women standing over the small girl's bed.

"Daisy," a deeper yet still hoarse voice corrected as the little girl's eyes opened.

Jemma smiled, recognizing her friend but immediately noted the deep red flush in the child's face. She reached out and placed both hands on Daisy's cheeks. Indeed she felt much warmer than she had only a few seconds ago. May was quick to notice as well.

Despite Daisy's protest the women managed to position her and take her temperature. As the doctor feared it had risen to almost one hundred seven, as Daisy took over the small child's body. There was not much time to talk. Skye's little body could not withstand the temperature Daisy's inhuman adult physiology could.

"Daisy, is Skye with you?" Simmons needed to be sure.

Daisy nodded, suddenly feeling almost unable to speak. "You know, I really feel like sh…" she turned her bloodshot eyes to May and smiled. "like crap…like crappy crap…crappiest crappy crap…"

"Your fever is dangerously high, Daisy, much too high for Skye to handle." Simmons explained. The doctor turned to May. "We need ice." May nodded and rushed from the room, calling to Coulson as she did.

Daisy's eyes fluttered. She squirmed under the added heat of the light blanket. Jemma pulled it off, along with the little girl's pajamas, leaving her in only her panties. Her body looked as though she had lain in the sun for hours. Coulson and May hurried into the room with several baggies packed with snow.

"We've got an unending supply right outside the door." Coulson breathed as he handed one of the bags to Jemma.

She nodded as she placed the bag under one of Skye's arms. May did the same on the other while Coulson set one bag on either side of the little girl's neck and Jemma placed two between her thighs. "This will only work for a short time. Can you keep it coming?" Coulson nodded and hurried from the room. William was already packing small bags and loading the freezer in the kitchen.

"Mommy," a weak voice called to Melinda May. She glanced at Simmons thinking Skye had returned and moved quickly to the little girl's side. She took the child's hot hand into her own.

"I'm here baobei, but you need to let Daisy speak to Simmons. Just for a little bit." She comforted her daughter.

"Am Daisy, mommy…don't leave me…I'm sorry…bad…not enough…" Daisy babbled trying desperately to keep her eyes open. Fever tears streamed across her cheeks to the mattress below.

The very hot child-adult's thoughts were disconnected yet May understood. May pulled the girl's hand close to her heart and smoothed her sweaty hair away from her face. "No…no, Daisy you stop right there. You are not bad and more than enough, you are my child and I've always…always loved you. You are everything I imagined my beautiful girl would be. Don't you dare think you are any less." She squeezed her hand tighter and shook it firmly. "You stop that talk and that thinking right now. You are small enough here for me to take you over my knee and don't you think I won't…just as soon as you're better." She shook the girl's hand again and kissed it softly.

Daisy forced a laugh and weakly squeezed back. "Don't I know it." She mouthed without sound.

Coulson and William hurried into the room with fresh ice packs which were replaced immediately.

"Daisy, we don't have a lot of time, you need to listen to me…Daisy?" Jemma shook the girl's shoulders. Daisy opened her eyes, swallowed hard and nodded. "Wherever that place is where you and Skye can connect, you need to somehow touch if you can. Fitz believes that will set things right, that it will put all of your power back where it belongs…with you." _'We hope,'_ she thought quickly then brushed it off as Daisy drifted in unconsciousness. She shook her hard, raising her from the mattress so her head flopped like a rag doll.

May grabbed the doctor's wrists and pulled them award, lowering her child back to the mattress. She put her hands on either side of Daisy's face and shook her gently. "Daisy, you need to stay awake and listen. Do you understand what Simmons is saying?"

Daisy tried to nod. She thought she did a second before she found herself once again in that in between space looking down at her little self.

Skye stood from her cross legged seat on the floor. _'You're right it is better here. I don't feel so crappy in here. Maybe we should just stay til we really get better.'_

 _'Not such a good idea, kid. What are we gonna do in here? We don't even have a deck of cards and hell, the food selection sucks.'_ Daisy laughed.

 _'Food sel…oh yeah, right,'_ Skye nodded as she got the joke. _'I guess I'd miss mommy and daddy after a while, wouldn't you?'_

Daisy thought about that. Hard to miss what you don't have…but now she did and yeah she did miss them…a lot more than she thought possible. _'Yeah, I'd miss them too, kid.'_

For a moment they were silent, each caught up in their own thoughts and memories. _'So, what did Jemma want to tell you?'_ Skye broke the silence rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet.

 _'Yeah, about that…'_ Daisy hedged. _'Fitz seemed to think that if we kind touch…hold hands or something that it will fix all this fever, shaking, feeling like shit crap.'_

Skye laughed out loud. ' _Shit crap? Did you really say shit crap?"_ Her voice was high and squeaked with the absurdity of her big-self's statement.

Daisy laughed as well…laughed at her goofy words and at the sound of Skye's high pitched chortle. _'Yeah, shit crap. I think that describes this perfectly…but I'd be real careful not to say it around mom unless you want an ass burn.'_ She laughed again at the pun.

Skye laughed too, immediately getting the joke. _'Aspirin…ass burn…good one, Daisy.'_

 _'I guess we should give this a try then, huh?'_ Daisy brought back the seriousness of the situation as she reached out a hand toward the little girl.

Skye shrugged. _'So much for sharing germs, huh?'_

Daisy shrugged as well and took the smaller hand into her own.

Small blue sparks encircled the girls' hands the moved up Skye's small arm. She tried to pull away, to let go of Daisy but their hands were interlocked. Daisy looked into the little girl's panicked eyes and grabbed her shoulder with the other hand. More sparks flowed between them encircling the smaller girl.

 _'Stop, Daisy…make it stop…'_ Skye squealed, struggling to pull away.

Daisy tried to let go, but was unable to move. She watched as the blue electric circles that surrounded the little girl moved up and down her small body then spun in a vertical spire before it shrunk to a small blue orb against Skye's chest. They both stared at it for a moment as it spun and hummed faster and faster then pulled into Skye's body a second before slamming into Daisy and knocking her unconscious to the floor.

'Daisy!' Skye's scream echoed in the nowhere place as she fell to her knees next to her older self.

¹The doctor is here. She is quite young. Are you sure of this, daughter?


	30. Chapter 30 - Somebody Wants to Love You

**Chapter 30**

 **Somebody Wants to Love You**

"Daisy, you need to stay awake and listen. Do you understand what Simmons is saying?" May spoke louder than she intended, sounding more like she was issuing an order than speaking to a sick child. She shook Skye's shoulder gently, hoping Daisy had heard then looked to Jemma who stood next to her.

The little girl's eyes fluttered shut as she dropped back onto the pillow and let out a soft sigh. Both May and Jemma felt a short ray of relief as a smile crossed the child's face a second before her visage turned to one of extreme pain. She squirmed and writhed giving Jemma the impression that Daisy had brought her recent seizures to this frame with her, but the child merely pulled and whined as if she were trying to get away from something painful. She clenched her fists and scrunched up her face in her frantic effort to escape.

'Stop, Daisy…make it stop…' Skye squealed as she sat bolt up right, her eyes opened wide. She looked down at her own chest then bounced back as if she'd been punched a second before arching her back and bouncing forward as if pushed from behind.

"Daisy!" The little girl screamed before falling back onto the pillow, going limp and lifeless.

"Skye!" May shouted as she moved to snatch the child into her arms. Coulson jerked forward as well, ready to catch both his partner and his child. He pulled May back as Simmons took charge.

"Daisy!" Jemma stopped May, pulling out her stethoscope as she pushed Melinda aside. She listened for a moment before dropping the instrument and gathering the little girl into her own arms. May stepped back against Coulson, speechless in her confusion as Simmons set the child on the floor and knelt down beside her, immediately starting CPR.

"No," May breathed as Coulson pulled her into his arms to hold her back. "No," she spoke louder, wrestling to free herself…to go to her child.

"Let Jemma do what she needs to do, Mel. She's the best we have." He whispered into her ear, hoping he was doing the right thing. Hoping Jemma Simmons was the doctor he thought she was.

The doctor counted compressions in her mind, keeping the pressure moderate not to harm the small girl. She looked over her shoulder at the couple behind her. "There's an AED in my bag. I need it." When neither moved she barked, "NOW!"

Coulson stepped away quickly and ripped open the large bag pulling the lime green case free and turning back toward Simmons. May grabbed it from him and fell to the floor next to the doctor. "Tell me what to do."

Jemma nodded, never losing count as she jutted her chin toward the clasps that held the case closed. "Di-rec-tions-in-side," she counted each syllable as a beat. She paused for a moment and leaned close to the child's face, feeling for the slightest hint of breath, then placed two fingers against her neck feeling for the carotid pulse. Dr. Simmons whispered a prayer and resumed chest compressions.

Melinda May snapped open the case and pulled out what was needed to shock her little girl's heart into beating. She swallowed the sob that threatened to escape and pushed back the panic she knew could kill. She had no intention of losing her child…not this little imp lying almost naked on the floor and not the girl that laid on a gurney in a white computer room a reality away. There was no damn way after all they had survived that this girl's life would end like this. She barely realized Phil had dropped to his knees next to her. She glanced up into his eyes and saw the same determination there. He would never let go of their girl…not ever.

xx

Fitz leaned back on the rolling chair he had adopted as his own and watched the numbers swirl across the computer screens. Occasionally he'd glance to the four people in suspended animation on the gurneys across the room. The two med techs that Jemma had ordered to stay with Daisy for the duration of this, for lack of a better term, excursion, sat quietly playing cards and monitoring all the bleeping and blipping machines that recorded the girl's vital statistics.

The young man stood and stretched, leaning back until he felt the familiar crack in his back then walked slowly across the room to stand next to Jemma's sleeping form. He stood and watched her expressionless face…so different from the anguish she showed trying to convince him she loved him enough to break AIDA's spell. He tried, uselessly, to shake away the memory of her crumbling to pieces when he told her she meant nothing to him…when he held a gun against her head fully prepared to pull the trigger and let her die at his feet. It was the nightmare he had every night. It was the reason he did not sleep. It kept him an arms length away from her and in his mind she stared at him with that expressionless face now and would do the same as long as she was able to look at him at all.

A single bleep caused Fitz and the two techs to look up and at the computer screen. They paused for a beat, waiting for the other shoe to drop…for something else to happen but a quick check found everything normal. Screens and monitors hummed a regular rhythm as the numerals continued swirling in concentric circles on the various screens. Fitz walked slowly back across the room, placed his hands on the arms of his chair and began to lower himself back into it. He glanced at the clock. The team had been 'inside' not quite two hours. Letting out a slow breath he almost touched the still warm seat when buzzers and alarms sounded on all monitors.

The med techs jumped to their feet knocking the small table they sat at across the floor. They moved to Daisy's side, one checking the read outs while the other grabbed the girl's wrist and felt for a pulse. Fitz watched as two strands of his code blinked bright blue and spun in faster tighter circles before splitting and sending zeros and ones in all directions before pulling them back and sending them out again. It was like watching some Saturday morning cartoon. It reminded him of a balloon, expanding and contracting as someone blew air into it then let it out then repeated the process over and over. His fingers jumped to the keyboard as he rapidly punched in commands that the computer simply ignored.

"This is impossible," he whispered to himself half frustrated, half fascinated by what he watched on the screen.

"Doctor!" one of the techs called out frantically. Fitz turned to see Daisy sit up on the gurney for a half second before she fell back. Her head lolled to the side.

Fitz looked to Daisy, her monitor alarms almost deafening in the buffered room. Lights flashed. Numbers rapidly rose then fell then rose again. Screens showing heart rate and blood pressure turned into more of an Etch-a-sketch as the lines defied the function of the machines. The room vibrated with seismic motion as small unsecured objects bounced to the edge of tables and counters before crashing to the floor. Daisy's gurney bounced up and down for a few seconds before it stopped flat. The monitors and crazy lines blinked to black and all alarms stopped as if choked to a halt.

The room fell into deafening silence.

For a second Fitz and the techs stood frozen then sprang into action. A quick check of the senior agents found their vitals normal, as was Jemma's. Daisy's monitors remained blank. The techs felt for a pulse but found none. One looked to the other and shook his head.

"She's not breathing, doctor." The young agent spoke to Fitz. "I can't get a pulse."

Fitz froze. His blood ran cold with the title used by the man standing next to the gurney. He brushed the sweat from his forehead. "I'm not that kind of doctor." He half mumbled, part in explanation…part a mantra to himself that he was _not_ the Doctor…he was not that monster. He moved slowly, staring at Daisy's lifeless body.

He'd failed. He'd lost her and he would be the one to tell the others she was gone. He mumbled softly to himself, rubbing his thumb into his palm and wishing he had never regained his senses…that he could slip back into that numbing, mindless stupor that addled his brain for all those months. Better yet, he wished he'd taken his last breath at the bottom of the sea…but…but…

"We need to do something!" The young female tech shouted as she stepped toward him. She waited a second for him to respond before turning and grabbing the defibulator from the wall. She nodded toward the patient. The second tech stepped back as she flipped the wall switch, rubbed the paddles together and shouted, "CLEAR!".

"STOP!" Fitz shouted even louder as he rushed forward then threw the switch to the off position as the girl laid the paddles on Daisy's chest.

She spun on him, still holding the paddles in her hands. "What the hell is wrong with you…sir?" She demanded, but did not wait for an answer. "We only have seconds before…Dr. Simmons said we were to keep her alive!" She nodded toward Jemma's suspended form.

"NO!" He shouted again pulling the paddles from her and tossing them to the floor.

Both techs looked at him in disbelief, suddenly wondering if the rumors they'd heard were true. Was this man intent on killing these people…on ending them and all of SHIELD? Were they…either or both of them willing or able to defend them…to save them? The larger male tech moved to stand next to his female counter part who had already taken up a defensive stance.

"We won't let you harm her, sir. We'll do whatever it takes to bring her back." The young man stated, placing himself between Daisy and the doctor, who stood at least a head shorter than he was.

"Bring her back? Harm her?" Fitz repeated as he shook himself from his thoughts. "No…no you can't use that thing," he nodded toward the paddles now lying on the floor. "That…that _will_ kill her…it will kill all of them."

"How do you know she's not already dead?" The young woman demanded. "Look at her! Look at the monitors!" She threw her arms up as she turned to do just that. "Every one is flat lined. It doesn't matter what type of doctor you are, you have to know what that means!"

Fitz wasn't listening. He'd moved around the techs and pulled a nasal cannula on to Daisy. He adjusted the oxygen and watched as her chest rose and fell slightly with the forced air. "The electric pulse will short everything. We'd lose them all. I'm afraid chest compressions are all we have."

The techs looked at each other and dove into action, one performing CPR until exhausted then relieved by the other. Fitz moved to his screens searching desperately for the codes that would tell him Daisy and Skye were still there…that they were still alive.

He found neither.

xx

Skye knelt next to Daisy, watching her older self for any sign of life and finding none. "Daisy…Daisy don't be dead, Daisy, please I need you I really do. Mommy and Daddy need you…they love you. I need you to show me how to be you. Please Daisy!" The little girl reached out to touch the woman lying before her but stopped inches away, afraid of what might happen…afraid of the pain the last touch brought.

"I'm sorry, Daisy. I didn't mean to hurt you, please answer me. Please don't be dead, please. I'm scared. I don't know how to get back to be 'in charge'. I need you to help me, please." She fell forward letting her forehead touch the cold black surface of the 'in between place' and sobbed bitterly.

Slowly Skye stretched out her body on the cold floor. She cried until she had no tears left then wiped her eyes with her sleeve. 'Daisy wouldn't be scared. She'd do what she had to…even if it hurt.' She told herself. Daisy gets hurt a lot. She sat up, pushed up her sleeves and stared at her arms. In her minds eye she saw the dark bruises that crept from Daisy's fingertips to her clavicle and shuddered at the agony her big-self must endure.

Skye squirmed herself into a kneeling position over Daisy's body and smiled down at her. "I am you Daisy, even if I am a little you and I really do love you a lot. We both have ta get back to our Mom and Daddy. I guess since you're resting, then I'm 'in charge'." She smiled broader as she held out her arms and shook them a bit. "So we're gonna do this and you're gonna get up off that damn floor and take us back." She held her arms over Daisy's chest and took a deep breath. Then with a slightly less confident voice added, "Okay?"

xx

Jemma flipped the on switch and held the small paddles in her hands. She felt the tickle of sweat run down her back and shivered at the sensation. She'd never treated a child…she'd never used an AED on anyone let alone a ten year old version of her best friend. The machine beeped alerting her to its readiness. She moved to press the electric pads against the small child's bare chest, knowing the extreme result it would have, how her tiny body would jolt with the shock, how the pads would leave painful burns. Somewhere in her mind she felt she'd been told an AED should not be used on a child. Jemma Simmons did not like being unsure of herself, she pulled back then reached again as the machine beeped in a mechanical scream.

"Simmons?" Coulson's soft voice calmed her as he laid his hand on her wrist. She looked to him. He could see the anxiety in her eyes and smiled his trust in her. He nodded once.

The young doctor moved the pads closer to the child, stopping when she felt more than heard May's quick intake of air. She looked over her shoulder into the eyes of a terrified mother, not the confident agent she saw every day. She looked back at Skye's pale face…her bluish lips. She blinked away the tears that were blinding her, wiping them quickly on her shoulder. She could do this. She had to save this child.

"Clear," the doctor spoke calmly and reached to place the pads against the child's chest.

xx

Skye closed her eyes and let herself fall forward landing her palms on Daisy's chest. She clenched her teeth in anticipation of the pain, but felt only a hum that grew into a buzz and then a whine that was deafening.

The vibrations started under them, small and shivery like the foot massager Yeye sometimes used. Skye giggled at the tickly feeling it brought to her knees. It grew in intensity causing the whole room (if that's what this place was) to shake and bounce like daddy's car when they drove on that old cobblestone street downtown. It grew stronger causing Skye to slip sideways and almost let go, but she curled her fingers into Daisy's sweatshirt and hung on tightly. The shaking turned to violent tremors that shook everything and Skye was glad there was nothing that could fall or fly into her or Daisy. She'd never felt an earthquake but was pretty sure it felt something like this. It was getting harder to hold on and suddenly it occurred to her that the only thing that might fall or fly here was her.

The little girl's knees bounced backward causing her to fall forward. She lay across her adult-self's chest and closed her eyes. Whatever was happening was something she had no control over so she'd just hold on til it stopped…if it stopped.

"Don't worry, Daisy," she assured her big self in her bravest voice. "I won't let go." She squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in the sweatshirt she gripped tightly.

"Neither will I," Daisy whispered as she wrapped her arms around the little girl.

"DAISY!" Skye squealed as she picked up her head and stared into Daisy's face. "Daisy, you're okay. You're back!" She let go of the shirt and pushed her thin arms around Daisy's neck squeezing tightly.

Daisy chuckled then reached up to pull girl's arms away. "I won't be if you choke me, kid." She let go of Skye's arms and squeezed her just as tightly. The quaking slowed to a tremor, then a shake and then a dwindling vibration before it dissolved completely. Daisy let out a long breath and brought herself to a sitting position taking Skye with her. She crossed her legs in front of her, allowing Skye to settle between them.

They sat, allowing both their bodies to stop shaking…to catch their breath and to relax in the relief they were both alive and well.

Skye blinked a few times as she relaxed her hold on Daisy and sat back far enough to look up at her larger self. "That was one damn hell of a ride, wasn't it? What the hell was that anyway?" She laughed nervously.

Daisy wrapped her arms around the little girl and rested her chin on her head. "It's a long story, kid, but it's definitely for another time. And you _really_ need to watch my language." She squeezed a little tighter with the warning.

Skye giggled. "I kinda like saying hell and damn as much as you damn well say it. I bet you know even worse ones, don't you?" She leaned forward, pulling her bigger self with her.

Daisy pulled back, shook her head and snorted. She turned her little self to face her and pointed a finger at the smaller girl's nose. "Ya know, I could just take you over my knee right here."

Skye laughed a high pitched kid's laugh as she spun back around and threw back her head against Daisy's chest. "Huh! That's pretty funny, Daisy. You'd be spanking yourself!"

Daisy laughed along with the child as she scrunched up one side of her face. She set Skye on her feet, stood and took her hand. "Let's go tell mom, we're okay." They took a few steps before Daisy stopped and spun Skye back toward her, "and no more swearing, got it?"

Skye blinked up at Daisy innocently, immediately changing the subject. "Yeah, Mom's probably major freaked out by now." She looked down at her feet and then up over her brows at Daisy. "You wanna go first?"

The older girl squeezed the younger's hand and smirked, "chicken!"

xx

Simmons pulled her hands back quickly as Skye drew a deep gasping breath and let it out in a loud sigh. The little girl's eyes were wide with surprise as she looked from face to face of the adults leaning over her. Her movements were quick and jerky as she looked down at herself and struggled to get up.

The doctor dropped the paddles to the floor and placed a hand on Skye's shoulder. "No, no sweetie, lie down, be still." She pulled the stethoscope to her ears and quickly checked the girl's heart rate and breathing.

"I'm okay, Simmons…" Daisy tried pushing Jemma's hands away, still struggling to get up and desperately trying to ignore the fact that as the center of attention she was clad in nothing more than purple and pink striped panties. She thanked the fates that Mommy Melinda preferred briefs and not bikinis for her little girl.

"Daisy!" May's voice sounded different, but the girl didn't care. She pushed Simmons aside and pulled her child into her arms, covering her with kisses.

Daisy felt the weakness in Skye's small body and forced herself to wrap her arms around the woman that was her mother. "Mom," she whispered softly into the woman's embrace and felt the silent sob that escaped her stoic S.O.'s chest. "Mom," she whispered again as May pulled her closer and she felt Coulson's hand against her back. He kissed the back of head and wrapped his arms around them both.

Jemma breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at the paddles still in her hand the nodded at Coulson before standing. She smiled at the family still seated on the floor and quietly exited the room.

Daisy watched the young doctor leave, peering over May's shoulder. She smiled softly and whispered into May's ear. "I love you Mommy May. I always have."

May kissed the girl's cheek and softly sobbed. "I love you, baobei."

Daisy sighed and pulled herself back allowing Skye to take 'control'. They passed briefly, Daisy's smile letting the little girl know all was well.

"Mommy," Skye breathed as she relaxed into Melinda's embrace. "I'm okay now, Mommy. I'm okay."

May allowed her avatar control and stepped into Melinda's self as she squeezed her child and relished the feel of her cool skin against her own. She smiled at Phil whose head lay against their child's and squeezed his hand that gripped hers. They sat for a few minutes before Phil helped Melinda to her feet and took their child into his arms.

"Daddy," Skye breathed, suddenly feeling as tired as she looked. "I'm too big to be carried, Daddy."

Phil kissed her cool cheek and shook his head, "never, sweet pickle, never ever." He rocked her gently as Melinda straightened the covers on her bed and waited for him to lay her down.

"Not a pickle, Daddy…" Skye's sleepy voice mumbled as she snuggled into her pillow, pulling Ling-a-ling into her arms.

Melinda tucked the blanket around her and brushed her lips across the girl's temple. There was no need for a temperature check. Skye was cool and resting comfortably. She stood back as Phil wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Neither had any intention of leaving their little girl's side.

xx

Fitz frantically tapped the keys, glancing quickly at the two techs working just as frantically on Daisy. He searched every screen for any trace of the girl…girls…no girl, Daisy…Skye they were one and the same. A soft green blip appeared on the screen, disappearing just as rapidly. He tapped again attempting to repeat whatever action had caused the blip.

"Fitz!" One of the techs called.

He glanced quickly without stopping his typing. The techs were standing back, each holding their hands in the air like an old fashion stick up. The screen blipped a second then a third string of green code that he immediately recognized.

"FITZ!" Both techs shouted at once.

Fitz stood, pushing the wheeled chair back, still typing as the string grew across all of his screens. He struggled to pull himself from it to address whatever was so urgent that the techs had stopped chest compressions. Confident that the codes were rebuilding he backed away from the screens moving toward Daisy's gurney without turning around.

Before he reached the girl the techs answered his unasked questions. "The monitors, sir, look."

Fitz turned from his screens, intending to glance at the monitors but stopped and stared instead. Every flat line now arched and fell in perfect rhythm. Heart rate, blood pressure, respiration all fell within normal range. He turned to Daisy who breathed normally, her complexion back to normal. The techs had already removed the cannula. He looked back once at the screens then let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and smiled at the two younger agents that stood on either side of the gurney.

A soft chime sounded alerting all of them that within five minutes the six hour limit would expire. Fitz moved back to his chair, smiled at the code that told him both Daisy and Skye were still with them then typed the exit code into the program.

Jemma woke first, slowly opening her eyes and taking in the familiar surroundings. She pulled the head gear away and sat up, quickly rushing to Daisy's side and checking all monitors. Fitz was at her side before she realized he was there.

"She's fine now," he told her quietly. "We had a terrible scare, but…" he looked to the two young agents that stood silently watching. "But your techs were amazingly proficient. They did what they had to do, despite my lack of…of…"

Jemma turned and laid her hand on his. He looked at it but did not pull away. "She's okay, Fitz. We have a lot to discuss, but she's okay."

Anything else that might have been said was silenced as May pulled off her own head gear and slid off the gurney to join them at Daisy's side. She glanced at the monitors and smiled at Simmons as Coulson stepped to the opposite side.

"Is she?" The senior agent began.

"She's fine, sir." Jemma assured him as Daisy's eyes fluttered open.

She looked at the circle of people around her and quickly glanced down at her own body thankful to find her old grey sweats and not purple and pink striped panties. She smiled as she raised her arms to remove the head gear, finding them too weak to finish. Coulson carefully removed it and helped her to slowly sit up. Jemma stopped her before she could slide to the floor.

"Not so fast, you're still weak. Stay right there." Jemma pulled rank on her younger friend. Daisy's bottom lip jutted out in a Skye-like pout that brought a smile to the doctor's face. "That does not work with me, Daisy." Simmons almost laughed.

May stepped from the opposite side of the gurney and glared into Daisy's eyes, causing the girl to sit up straighter and wipe the pout away. "You gave all of us a hell of a scare," the stern woman admonished. Daisy lowered her eyes. "We thought we lost you..." May started with a catch in her voice as she took the girl's hand in her own. Daisy looked up. "I… _I_ thought I lost you," May spoke quietly. "I couldn't do that again, Daisy. I couldn't lose my child again. My heart would not survive it." Her voice turned to little more than a whisper as all but Coulson turned and moved to the farther corner of the room.

Squeezing the girl's hand in her own, May struggled to hold back the tears that rolled over her cheeks. "I'm not really good at this, Daisy, but…" She smiled through her tears. "I…" The stoic agent hesitated with the words that came so easily for Skye and so difficult for Daisy.

The girl slid to stand, with Coulson's help, and wrapped her arms around her mother. "I love you too, Mom." She squeezed her tightly, feeling the embrace returned with equal strength. "I'm sorry I scared you, but I'm okay now."

Coulson wrapped his arms around them feeling the pain that pierced his head fade in the embrace. "We're all okay, now." He smiled. They stood for a moment, Coulson and May hoping to wrap their daughter in their love so tightly that she'd never doubt their sincerity. Daisy hugged them back praying that they knew she adored them both. She never wanted to let go.

Ten minutes later Coulson helped Daisy from the gurney the techs had rolled to her bunk into her own bed. She snuggled into it happy to let May tuck a blanket up under her chin and kiss her temple. Her head was cool, her stomach settled. Her eyes were so heavy she barely noticed the small stuffed dog May set in front of her. She smiled at the little pushed in face as she pulled it close and rested her cheek against it. "Hi, Ling-a-ling," Daisy smiled as she drifted into a restful sleep much too exhausted to wonder how the little dog had gotten there.

May stood back and smiled as Coulson wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "She's safe." He remarked reassuring both of them.

May nodded as they turned and walked to the sagging sofa against the wall. Coulson sat first and she joined him, sliding to the center of the ratty piece of furniture. She snuggled into his side and rested her head on his chest.

"Simmons says she really is fine." Coulson spoke after a few moments.

"I know," May replied. "I'm just making sure she stays that way."

Coulson smiled and rested his head against the back of the couch and closed his eyes.

They'd be there when Daisy woke in the morning.


	31. Chapter 31 - What Am I So Afraid Of

**Chapter 31**

 **What Am I So Afraid of?**

 _sorry for the long wait_ -injured my finger, hard to type, on the mend!

Daisy slept off and on for almost forty hours before she felt well enough to pull herself back on her feet. May was there to help, taking the girl to the com for a light breakfast.

"Come on, May…dry toast and a weak tea? I haven't eaten in weeks. Damn! I'm starved!" Daisy whined as her mother set the meal in front of her.

"Five days," May droned, correcting her daughter's exaggeration. "Your system won't take anything heavy right now, Daisy. You hold this down, we'll think about a little more for lunch."

Daisy narrowed her eyes and gave a crooked pout. "Can I at least have some jelly? I mean, jelly isn't heavy, just sweet." May was already shaking her head. "Really," the girl squeaked. "Not even a teaspoon of jelly? I have to eat plain old dry, hard bread? Geez, it's like a giant crouton!"

May smiled and crossed her arms over her chest. "And be glad you got that."

"And only one piece? Even prisoners get more than this!" Daisy complained as she picked up the toast and bit into it. Crumbs sprayed in all directions.

Coulson made his way into the room, nodding a greeting before pulling a mug from the wall rack and pouring a coffee. He drank it immediately, ignoring the fact it was unusually hot. He closed his eyes and swallowed the burning liquid hoping the pain of it would dull the pain in his head. Since the episode with Daisy and Skye the headache had become almost unbearable. He'd spent most of the day, yesterday, asleep on the saggy couch in Daisy's room telling everyone he was keeping vigil on his daughter. He wasn't really sure who slept more. It seemed neither was ever awake at the same time.

Daisy looked up from her meager meal, swallowed and took a quick drink of her luke warm tea to wash down the dry bread. "Hey, you look worse than I do. Maybe you should try some of May's yummy breakfast treats." She spread her hand over her cup and plate and smiled.

Coulson half smiled then took another long swallow of the strong, black coffee. He took a step toward the girl, took the half eaten piece of toast from her hand and devoured it in two bites. Daisy stared with her mouth opened.

"That was my full ration." She whined as her father chewed slowly.

May shook her head at both of them as she dropped two slices of bread into the toaster and used a little more force than necessary to push down the button. She glared at them until the small appliance expelled the finished product with a bounce. Daisy and Coulson watched as she carefully extracted the toast from the slots and dropped each on a separate plate then slid one in front of Daisy and the second to the empty seat next to her, nodding for Coulson to sit.

The man rubbed his forehead. He refilled his mug and dropped into the seat.

"What's with the coffee?" May asked as she poured herself a cup of thoroughly steeped tea and sat across from them. "I haven't seen you drink it like that since you used to pull all night cramming at the academy." She smiled a suspicious smirk as she eyed him over the edge of her cup.

Coulson shrugged and took another swallow. "Lately, I've been cramming for everything." He squeezed his eyes shut as he swallowed, pain evident in his grimace.

"Ya know, this really isn't so bad when it's still warm." Daisy munched as she spoke. She stared pensively at Coulson, swallowed and spoke. "Headache's still got you, huh? Maybe Simmons has something that can help." She matched his grimace in sympathy.

Coulson set down his cup and raised both hands to his temples, massaging them slowly. He shook his head minutely. "Simmons hasn't been able to help…nothing…" he glanced quickly at May then closed his eyes again. "Nothing seems to help." Before either could ask he added, "and they can't find any reason for them."

Daisy dropped the crust of her toast on her plate and her hands into her lap suddenly feeling guilty. "This all started when you…" she swallowed hard before continuing, "when you found out the truth about me…us." She spoke to the table top, not daring to look at either parent she did not want to think about losing.

The man's eyes shot open as she grabbed Daisy's hand and pulled her toward him. "You have absolutely nothing to do with this, Daisy. Nothing you've said or done brought this on, nothing." He told her firmly, squeezing her hand.

Daisy stared at her hand enveloped in her father's. "I'm the one who talked Fitz into that program, that framework thing. You went along with it for me. It is my fault. That's what started it."

"We did do it for you Daisy." May agreed, "And for ourselves. We missed your whole life, Daisy. We wanted to do this. You didn't force us."

"But look at all the trouble I've caused…I've always caused." She finished in a contrite mumble and tried pulling her hand away, but Coulson held on firmly.

"Daisy," May let her name out in a frustrated sigh. "When are you going to let yourself believe we do not blame you for anything. You haven't caused all this trouble, although you did have a hand in a lot of it." May smiled as the girl looked up at her.

"It doesn't matter anyway, Daisy." Coulson spoke softly. "Nothing could change the way we feel about you, nothing. We know you're used to being sent away when you don't live up to expectations but we don't have any expectations. We love you just the way you are, just for being you. We're your family and even if all this DNA stuff didn't expose what really happened, we would love you just the same. Don't you know that by now?"

Daisy shrugged and took a deep breath. "I want to…I really do, but it's so hard. Nobody ever cared about me like you guys do. I just keep waiting for it all to fall apart…for something to happen that will make you look at me the way my…the way Jiaying did…they way they all did…right before…" She stopped to swallow the lump in her throat.

Coulson shook his head. "Never gonna happen kid, you can't get rid of us."

"You might push your luck every now and then but I've got no problem putting you back in line." May raised a brow at the girl.

Daisy laughed through her nose. "Don't I know it. You do know I feel everything you _share_ with Skye, right?"

May smiled back. "Oh, I count on it, baobei." She gave a quick nod

Hearing May use that term of affection was like being wrapped in a warm blanket. It covered Daisy all over and gave her a feeling she couldn't quite describe, but she did like it. Coulson smiled as if he knew what his daughter was thinking. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. He closed his eyes as he let her hand slip away. The pain in his head was crackling. He could hear it inside and pictured his skull slowly being covered with hairline fissures that inched across his head before tinkling apart allowing the bone to fragment and drop to the floor. Maybe that would stop the endless throb behind his eyes.

"Coulson?" Daisy's voice sounded as if she were calling to him through a long pipe. May's voice echoed with it. He smiled at the sound of their voices blending together calling to him as his eyes rolled back and he slipped from his chair. He watched the white cup with that dopey grouchy cat leave his hand and fall to the floor just as he struck it.

The cup shattered.

He was surprised it made no sound.

xx

Simmons raced behind the gurney that bumped across the gravel covered hallway. She stopped and turned halting May and Daisy from entering the Med Lab. "I'll keep you informed." She assured both as she pushed through the door and disappeared.

Daisy stared with her protest unspoken. She moved to follow stopped only by May's hand on her wrist. "What, you're just gonna let them take him like that? Damn it May, it's Coulson!" The girl's voice was nearing panic.

May swallowed her own fear and pulled her daughter closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Simmons knows what she's doing. I trusted her with you, now we have to trust her with him."

"But…" Daisy started.

Ignoring her own urge to charge full force into the med lab, May squeezed the girl's hand and offered an encouraging smile.

The small clock that someone had placed in what was left of the hallway outside the med lab ticked like a cartoon time bomb. Digital clocks are silent, as are atomic clocks and LED clocks. The little lighted numbers change every minute without making an announcement of their work. The round, black and gold analog clock that stood on three little peg legs was not. Every time the minute hand moved the snap almost knocked the silly thing over. The ticking was incessant.

Daisy sat sideways on a wooden bench that now rested on two almost level piles of rubble rather than the legs that once held it in place. She'd pulled her knees to her chest and rested her arms across them. Her head rested atop. She stared at the clock unconsciously counting seconds then cringing when the minute hand bounced ahead. Fighting the urge to shatter the damn thing with one flick of her wrist she watched as May paced up and down the cluttered hallway. She counted the seconds…the clicks of the minutes…and watched.

Three minutes…it took May three minutes to slowly walk to the end of the hall then three more to walk back to where Daisy sat. Two minutes in the opposite directions and two back…only because that way was blocked with a chest high pile of concrete and brick that was once a bathroom. Daisy almost smiled remembering how Coulson had been concerned when they almost had to leave the base right after the room had been freshly tiled. She watched as May passed her and moved down the hall again. Other than the constant ticking there was no sound. Daisy tapped her index finger to the rhythm of the tick and noticed May's steps matched it as well. She shook it off and swung her feet around, sitting up straight and pulling her mother down next to her as she passed again.

"It's not helping," she answered May's _'what the hell?'_ before it was asked. Daisy leaned forward resting her elbows on her knees. "All the pacing and the ticking and tapping and it's just making it worse." She huffed and looked back over her shoulder. "What's taking so long?"

May smiled at her daughter, seeing so much of Phil in her. "Worrying doesn't help much either," she half smiled as she mirrored Daisy's position and let out a long breath. "Simmons is nothing if not thorough. If there was a problem she'd let us know."

"I did this." Daisy breathed without looking at her mother. "Me and my stupid damn need for…"

"Family?" May finished. She stared ahead, still having more trouble opening up to this version of her child than the little girl that existed in Fitz's program, _most of the time._

Daisy stared at her palms and bounced her feet. She envied her little self and the relationship Skye had with Melinda. They fit together the way she always imagined a kid would with her mom. Sure there were some rough spots and Melinda took no grief but she was a great mom and Skye loved her like Daisy wished she could have loved a mother…her mother. She looked away and blinked the tears away.

Why was this so damn hard? Hell, she loved May…loved her for as long as she could remember. Even when she was terrified of the woman there was still some form of admiration there and she thrived on the tiniest bit of recognition, even if it wasn't so pleasant. At the time she just blew it off…just her need for a maternal figure, but the night May offered to be her S.O. to train her even after the tragedy that was Ward…she couldn't understand or ever describe the feeling that overtook her. May was her idol…her mentor…the person she wanted to be. Until Jiaying and all the lies…and Hive…and all the mistakes and things she did…until she ran away…

Daisy felt the moisture on the back of her hand before she realized she was crying. She sniffled quickly rubbed the back of that hand across her eyes and started to rise but was stopped by May's hand on her arm.

"Everyone needs family, Daisy. It's nothing to be ashamed of and no, you didn't do this. He's had the headaches for a while, even before we started building our little memory act. He didn't think I knew but, well…" May attempted to console the girl.

"And you didn't tell me?" Daisy squeaked.

"You had enough to worry about, Daisy." May sighed. "He said it was all the stress of what's been going on and hell, that whole LMD/Framework shit gave us all enough nightmares to last another lifetime."

"And I just added to it," Daisy mumbled quietly, sounding more like Skye than she had in a very long time.

May looked at the crestfallen girl and imagined taking her into a hug and convincing her that everything would be alright, like she did with her little one in that _'everything will work out in the end'_ world of computer programs. That works with children. A hug and a kiss, reassurance that nothing will go wrong because mom and dad will be there to stop it, that works when you're nine or ten. Daisy was an adult. She knew the truth, probably better than any of them. She knew things did not always work out and most of the time there was no happy ending. Life hurt and Daisy had more than her share of that hurt. Nothing May did or said could change that or take it away. Maybe that's what held her back, that and the fact that she didn't consider herself mother material…but with Skye…

"Damn," May growled to herself through her teeth. If Daisy heard, she did not react.

Simmons stepped into the hallway before the conversation could continue. She let out a relieved breath and moved toward the pair seated on the rickety bench. Both women rose as the doctor approached. Before they could ask Jemma spoke.

"He's resting. He's fine." She smiled at the relief that fell over them. "I've given him something to help him relax. He should be out for a few hours." She tapped the edge of the clipboard she held in front of her.

"What is it?" Daisy asked before May could form the question. "What did you find? Is it a tumor? Oh, gawd is he…"

Jemma shook her head and reached for her friend's hand. "No, no, it's nothing like that." She looked down at the chart she held as if she wasn't sure what was written there. "Except for just a bit of hypertension and slight dehydration, we haven't found a thing. All of the tests came back perfectly normal." She shook her head despite Daisy's smile. "I almost wish we did find something. At least then I could treat him."

"Can we see him?" The girl asked, already walking toward the double doors that led to the medical treatment area.

"You found nothing?" May asked, a bit skeptical of the doctor's report.

Jemma smiled. "Dr. Radcliffe caused a great deal of horror for all of us, May but he also developed some of the most advanced medical research equipment we have right now. His 3D holographic brain scan is ground breaking technology. We used it to save you, May." Simmons reminded her. "I've used it as well, and found no abnormalities. Whatever is causing these dreadful headaches is idiopathic."

"He had an aunt that suffered migraines." May remarked as Daisy scrunched up one side of her face in confusion and bounced with the anticipation of entering the med treatment room.

"We discussed that a few weeks ago, but as it turns out this aunt was not a blood relative. She was actually the wife of an older cousin. Agent Coulson referred to her as an aunt because she was so much older than him." Simmons rambled. "She died when he was in high school. It was not caused by any cerebral abnormalities."

"Can we see him?" Daisy asked again, with her hand on the door.

"Of course," Simmons nodded for May to go as well.

xx

Daisy had fallen asleep with her head resting on Coulson's mattress, his hand held in hers. May paced at the bottom of the bed, half concerned with her partner's present condition and half fuming over the fact he had done nothing to remedy it. At first he had denied there was a problem, then told her it was just a normal reaction to the stress they'd been under. She thought it was caused by Fitz's program, having seen it there but when it continued once outside the program she rethought the reason. Phil had refused to talk about it…denied it, despite the fact she could see right through him.

But Simmons had said there was no reason, nothing she could find that could be that reason. Coulson was clearly in pain and certainly wasn't one to simply imagine such a condition. Why would he? Didn't he already have enough on his plate? He'd dragged SHIELD out of oblivion at least four times in the last five years. He'd given up control of the agency in order to once again do what he loved best…work in the field only to lose even that and end up as the head of what was left…barely a skeleton of what used to be. That in itself was enough to drive a pike through someone's mind.

May stopped and smiled at the young girl slumbering in such an uncomfortable position. She was tempted to wake Daisy and insist she go to her own bunk, get a good night's sleep. The girl was still not one hundred percent after the ordeal she had recently survived. The only thing stopping her was the argument that would ensue and she just did not have the energy or the patience to deal with that right now. She let out a breath and paced to the door then back, reconsidering her need to have her daughter find a better place to rest with every step.

"Daisy," May spoke softly as she laid a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Daisy," she spoke a little louder.

"Hmmm," the girl responded without opening her eyes. "What?" She mumbled as she pushed herself up on one elbow and ran that hand through her disheveled hair. The other hand still held tightly to Coulson's. "What?" She spoke with more clarity, looking at May with wide questioning eyes. "Is…did…" She looked back at Coulson, whose condition had not changed.

"No, no baobei…" May paused for a hare's breath, realizing the term of endearment she had used and waited for Daisy's scoff which did not come. She swallowed and continued. "No, he's okay…really," she added at the girl's look of disbelief. "I think you should go to bed…your own bed.

Daisy blinked a few times before smiling and shaking her head. "No way, May. I'm staying right here, right here until I know for sure Coulson's gonna be okay."

May folded her arms over her chest and glared at the girl. "You've been sick, Daisy, very sick. You need to take care of yourself. You know that."

Daisy was still shaking her head. "I'm staying."

"Daisy," May's voice was threatening…motherly threatening.

"I…" Daisy opened her mouth to protest.

"Don't argue with your mother," Coulson's voice was gravely and weak, but his grip on her hand was firm.

Whatever it was Daisy was going to say turned into a sob as she squeezed Coulson's hand back and fell across his chest, delivering a one armed hug. He smiled over her at May who stood at the side of the bed and one arm hugged his child back.

Daisy pulled back and stood up, suddenly embarrassed by her impulsiveness. She quickly brushed a tear from her cheek. Before she could speak, Coulson addressed them both.

"Both of you need to get some rest," he looked from one woman to the other seeing the refusal in both of them. "Real rest," he waited for their reaction and almost laughed as Daisy's stance mirrored her mother's, even to the pursed lips and raised eyebrow. He pushed himself up on the raised mattress and stared at them. "Do I have to make it an order?"

May looked down for a moment to hide the smile that tickled her lips. Daisy frowned before speaking. "Come on, Coulson, you can't just send us to our rooms. We want to make sure you're okay…really okay. What if…"

He held up one finger, silencing her as if he had flipped a switch. "All I'm going to do is sleep and I really don't need either of you to watch me do so. What I do need is to know you're getting some rest. Simmons hasn't given you a clean bill of health just yet, at least not that I'm aware of." He looked at May who shook her head affirming the statement.

"I feel f…" Daisy started.

"Doesn't' matter," Coulson smiled, cutting her off. "If you don't get enough rest, you could end up right back in the same condition and none of us want that. Do we?" He waited while she mentally debated her response.

Simmons entered the room before anyone could answer.

"You're awake," she smiled at Coulson then nodded to the women standing at his side. Moving to the bed she pulled a small flashlight from her pocket and quickly checked the reaction of his pupils then felt his carotid pulse. The brief examination was over quickly and the doctor stood back and smiled. "You seem to be doing well sir, but I'd like to keep you at least until morning, possibly a day or two just to observe and perhaps discover what is triggering your cephalgia. Perhaps the source is external or even environmental. Who knows what all of this dust and debris is filtering through the air we've been breathing?" She nodded toward the doorway as she picked up the chart at the bottom of his bed and made a few notes.

"You mean here…just being here could be the reason he's got this pain?" Daisy stepped forward, clearly surprised by the doctor's statement. "This place is what's doing this to him?" Her voice squeaked with emotion.

"We've ruled out all physical cause and it is definitely not psychosomatic, this may be the only other avenue to investigate." Simmons explained. "Perhaps the director," she smiled at Coulson, using the term for him that had not been used in more than a year. "Perhaps the director is more sensitive to something the situation has churned up."

"They we've got to get him out of here!" Daisy exclaimed. "It could be killing him!"

"Hey," Coulson spoke softly as he reached for the girl's hand. "Let's not go ballistic over this. I'm sure it's not that serious. Whatever Simmons has been giving me is helping. It's been hours since I've had any pain."

"We've been able to filter the air in this room. Fitz rigged a ventilator system to keep almost all of the micro filaments out." Jemma beamed with the pride she felt in her still distant partner. "That combined with the medicinal cocktail has been showing promise."

"And," Coulson stressed, "knowing both of you are sleeping comfortably in your own beds will make things even less stressful."

Daisy pursed her lips and stared at him for a moment before looking to May who gave an almost imperceptible nod. The girl let out a short breath as the defensive stance she'd been holding relaxed. She nodded, although Coulson could see she did not fully agree. He smiled at her acquiescence, knowing how much it rubbed her determined stubborn streak the wrong way.

Coulson pulled his daughter closer and kissed her forehead. "Good night, sweet pickle," he whispered so only she heard.

Daisy smiled as a feeling of warmth spread over her. He used that silly term with Skye. It was their little code…their way of saying 'I love you' as often as they could. She hugged him tightly and whispered into his ear. "I'm not a pickle, Daddy." She felt his hug tighten around her.

May leaned forward and grasped his hand for a moment as Daisy stepped away. Their eyes met and spoke volumes that no one else understood. As they slowly slipped out of physical contact Coulson felt the tingle of his pain worm its way into his temples. He forced a smile.

"Make sure our girl gets a good night's rest."

May nodded as she placed a hand on Daisy's shoulder and followed her out of the room.

Simmons watched them leave then turned to him. "How bad is it?" She asked as she pulled a hypodermic from her pocket and flipped off the plastic protective cover.

"I'm not staying in this bed for two day, Simmons." He answered as he closed his eyes.

xx

May and Daisy walked slowly toward their bunks, arriving at Daisy's door first. She laid her palm on the lock and waited for the soft click that would let them know it had released. When it did, Daisy let out a soft sigh.

"She wouldn't lie to us, would she?" She asked without looking at May.

"No, Daisy, Simmons is telling us all she knows and she'll continue to do that. Whatever the problem is, she will work as hard as she always does to find a solution. You know that." May spoke softly as she ushered the girl into the room.

"I just…I've never seen him so weak…it scares me. What if…" She looked to May with tear filled eyes.

"Don't," May smiled, taking the girl's hands in her own. "Don't go there, Daisy. Don't…" She couldn't admit she had the same thoughts. "He's going to be alright." She squeezed her daughter's hands for a second before releasing them.

Daisy stared at her hands then turned and looked at her bunk. "I'm not tired, May."

May let out a soft snort. She'd heard that before. "You need to sleep."

Daisy smiled back. "So do you. At least I had a nap. You've been up for days with me and now with Coulson. Maybe you should lie down."

May glared at the girl for a beat. "Really…attitude? You're giving me attitude?"

Daisy raised her eyebrows and pointed a finger at herself in a silent ' _who me?_ ' gesture.

"Need I remind you where that got you the last time you felt the need to press your luck?" May raised her own brows and rested her fists on her hips.

Daisy blinked a few times and gauged the seriousness of May's threat. She wouldn't, would she? Did she really want to find out? She looked into May's eyes and saw the no nonsense persona staring back. She shook her head slowly and sat on the edge of her bed.

"I'm really sorry, May. I'm sorry for all of this. If I could take it all back, I would." Daisy couldn't shake the guilt that haunted her.

May sat next to her. "Daisy, this is not your fault, none of it. You did not cause it and you could not have prevented it."

"The base…the team…you…Coulson…all of this…if I didn't run away…didn't get all messed up to begin with…"

"What you think you could have prevented this?"

"Yes," Daisy turned toward her mother and brushed away a tear. "Yes, I could have destroyed AIDA before she had a chance to do all of this, before she hurt you and Coulson and…poor Fitz. I let all of you down because I was stupid and selfish and…"

"Hurt and angry and needing to work things out for yourself before you could come back where you belong…where you've always belonged. If anyone needs to apologize…to be sorry, it's me."

"You? No, you've always done everything right. You're the most right person I know. I wish I could be just like you."

"I should have saved you, baobei. All those years ago…I should have known…should have known my own baby…should have saved you from the life you had to bear." May let the tears roll over her cheeks. "I see and I feel and I live all those years with Skye and ache at all I missed with you…ache for all you lost, my měilì, tiánměi de nǚhái."

Daisy sobbed. No one had ever called beautiful or sweet. They'd called her lots of names, some she didn't even understand but not one had every used those two adjectives together or separately when speaking to or about her. "It wasn't your fault, May. You couldn't have known what that monster would do. You couldn't have known."

May pulled the sobbing girl into her arms. "Oh, baobei I would have fought for you. I would have done anything to get you back, if I only knew. You are so precious and deserve so much more than life's given you…so much more than I can make up for now. How can you ever forgive me?"

"I don't need to forgive you, May. You've already given me more than anyone ever did. You accepted me. You taught me to be like you…you let me be like you and forgave me for all the stupid things I did. You pushed me and kicked my ass when I needed it. I'm glad Jiaying was never my mother, May because you always were. You said you hoped my mother was everything I hoped for and you are May, you were right from the beginning, even when you didn't like me." Daisy almost laughed as she looked up at May through her tears.

May smiled down at her. "You were a real smart ass as I recall. A know-it-all, pain in the ass, take any risk that comes along, reckless kid and I never didn't like you, Daisy. You were just like me and I saw it the day we met. I saw the daughter I lost and couldn't bear to look too deeply…but I also couldn't help looking. I imagined that little baby all grown up and there you were and I hated myself for losing her."

Daisy huffed a strangled laugh. "And look what you ended up with…me…a broken, half-alien, stupid, still messing up after all these years inhuman that probably causes more trouble than she's worth, even at this age."

May shook her head. "I don't want to hear that self depreciation again, Daisy. You are worth every minute, you are my child and a reflection of me and of Coulson. Is that what you think of us?"

Daisy pulled back and shook her head. "No, never…you guys are…are perfect…it's just not fair you got stuck with such a loser."

May raised an eyebrow. "You're lucky you're back in your own body, little girl." She warned. "You're about three syllables away from landing over my knee."

Daisy laughed nervously at the idle threat then looked at May's intense glare. Maybe it wasn't so idle, she didn't intend to find out having been on the receiving end of such a threat more than once while inhabiting the body of her child avatar.

"I love you, mommy." She spoke innocently.

May laughed and pulled the girl closer. They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before Daisy let out a yawn and slid down to rest her head on May's lap.

"Wǒ ài nǐ, baobei." She spoke to the girl as she gently brushed the hair from her face.

"Wǒ ài nǐ, mama." Daisy answered.

They fell asleep together, snuggled into Daisy's bed…mother and child comforting each other for the night.


	32. 32 - We've Been Travelin' in Circles

**Chapter 32**

 **We've Been Travelin' in Circles**

 _ **Really needing some feedback...**_

Coulson pulled himself up and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked at the IV line in his hand and sighed. The pain in his head had subsided for the moment but he knew it was only a matter of time before it returned with a vengeance. Simmons' medication only lasted a short amount of time.

Maybe the doctor was wrong. Maybe this horrendous pain was psychosomatic then again he could not believe even on his worst day that he would imagine something like this. Even the pain of losing his hand did not come near this ache that threatened to split his skull in two.

He tried to remember the first time he felt it, the first time it tore through his brain. Teaching high school history was no easy task and teenagers certainly created major headaches but he could not remember one instance while inside that crazy world of Madame Hydra. Even when Daisy appeared out of nowhere, when Simmons desperately tried to get through to him, he felt nothing but confusion.

Falling into what looked like molten lava and waking up in a Soviet secret base, leagues beneath the sea was certainly bizarre but again, he was more desperate to stay alive and get his team to safety than anything else. He felt the pain of that Russian Cyborg's fists landing on his body, but nope not one headache. Even being thrown across the deck of that oil well platform did not create the pain he felt.

Coulson debated yanking the IV out of his hand and dealing with Simmons admonishment or just lying back and letting the fatigue he continuously fought overtake him. He chose the latter and lowered himself back to the pile of pillows behind him. Closing his eyes he suddenly had a flash of memory.

He stood a breath away from May in a room full of shelves, of books, of the scent of leather and ink and old paper. He moved closer and she did not move away. He was kissing her before he had a chance to second guess himself. Holding the back of her neck and pressing her closer. She kissed him back. Time seemed to stop and nothing else mattered…for a split second…and then he knew. He knew this was not _his_ Melinda, his _May_ , the woman he had loved from afar for most of his adult life. He knew it was not her and he knew had had betrayed her…and his feelings for her.

Before he could act, the Koenigs were there and Melinda held a gun on him. She tried to explain but it was too late. He could see in her eyes she meant to kill him and his heart shattered even though he knew it wasn't her. Daisy's burst of power saved him and took her down, revealing the woman he loved as an android…a thing…a robot that had fooled him for weeks…forced him to…no, not forced…no one forced him. He let his feelings for her flow free only to find it was not her. He felt sick but there was no time…Radcliffe had the book and those Russian maniacs were threatening the Koenigs and…Daisy. He sprang into action, ignoring the twinge of pain in his temples.

He vowed to find her, to make this right, but the search was complicated and full of dead ends and red herrings. Then he forgot it all. Whatever those guys hit him with blacked out the world in the blink of an eye and until he fell off that upright stretcher in that deserted base and woke up he fully embraced the life of Phil Coulson, tenth grade history teacher. And then there was Daisy…sweet and innocent…begging him to remember her, tugging at his heartstrings and waking up the part of him that would never sleep, the part no amount of drugged induced comatose Hydrabot Maniac Android Bitch World Dominatrix Wannabee could ever force on him could ever suppress.

And he remembered…

He woke up and begged May who slept/lay next to him to take that leap…that leap of faith that would send her back to him. His entire body ached with being motionless for so long but he caught her and lowered her gently to the floor suppressing the desire to cover her with kisses and holding her close. Even her snarl brought him joy, but the longer they were together the harder it became for him to tell her what had transpired in the time she had missed. He couldn't bear to see the rejection or the hurt or the combination of both when he told her he finally had the courage to act on his feelings with…with… That he did not recognize the robot that replaced the woman he loved for so long…he could not bear to see whatever that might bring.

Even after their little agreement in the hallway before he finally ended AIDA, with Reyes' help, seemed to him like he was holding more back than he was sharing and the pain grew, spread across his forehead and encompassed his head from his eyebrows to the nape of his neck. Yet in May's presence, when they touched in Fitz's framework, when they lay together and lived their life as Skye's parents the pain disappeared.

It was silly of him to think he had hidden it from her. She knew him…even the May-bot knew the truth and destroyed the Coulsoid to save their girls…Daisy and Simmons. God love the both of them and what they had to endure to rescue…to rescue everyone. May never would have fallen for AIDA's imposter. Phil would have laughed if the pain wouldn't shatter what was left of his resolve.

But, May knew. She knew the first time she looked at him. He couldn't hide it. She saw it in the program and she saw it here. She threatened him, nagged him and pleaded with him to get help but he knew there was nothing that could be done. He just couldn't admit it to himself and certainly never to her. He needed to make things right with her. He needed to explain. He needed to let her know how he really felt. He needed to take that chance and mostly…he needed her.

Phil Coulson needed Melinda May. He needed her as his right hand, his next in command. He needed her support and encouragement. He needed her strength and her determination. He needed her at his side. He needed to let her know he wanted and needed her as much as they both wanted and needed their child…even after all this time. He needed her here in this reality the same way he needed her in that modest home with the two car garage and big back yard that existed only in Fitz's computer program. Coulson wanted and needed May the same way Phil did Melinda in every way… _every_ way.

Phil closed his eyes against the pain that surrounded his brain. The more he thought about what he wanted…what he needed and could not have…the worse the pain became. The more he tried to push those wants and needs away the harder the pain pushed back. It had been decades since Phil Coulson had pain severe enough to bring him to tears and he sniffed back the urge to do so now. He quickly swiped the side of thumb against his nose thinking the sensation he felt was the drivel of suppressed sobs. He turned side to side in search of Kleenex then looked down at the red droplets on the white blanket that covered him. Quickly he lifted his hand and swallowed the start at the crimson streak across it. He put a hand to his nose and caught even more of the blood that oozed from that orifice before hitting the button on the side of the bed with his other.

The young doctor that entered the room with a smile suddenly blanched and turned back. He could hear the man calling Simmons' name. His last thought before he lost consciousness was the hope Simmons would not wake his family. Phil smiled despite the situation…his _family_.

xx

The room was dim when Phil finally opened his eyes. The lights had been toned down with the hope it would help alleviate his pain. He glanced down to find clean bed clothes and blankets. The monotonous beeping told him some kind of monitoring was happening and the IV in his right hand now led back to not one but three infusers. Phil put a hand to his face feeling the odd pressure of something in or on his nose.

A gentle hand stopped him and brought the hand back to the mattress.

"We had to use packing to stop the epistaxis." Jemma explained softly.

Phil squinted to see her clearly in the low light. Had the doctor been crying? He would not embarrass her by asking.

"You gave us quite a scare, sir but I did manage to honor your request." Jemma patted the back of his prosthetic hand.

"Request?" Coulson repeated, amused by the odd sound of his voice. It reminded him of some cartoon character from his youth. He fought the urge to expel the packing.

Jemma rose and flicked a penlight in front of his eyes before answering. "We did not alert Agent May or Daisy," She paused and pursed her lips before continuing. "You do realize how pissed they will be when they find out, sir." It wasn't a question.

Coulson smiled and pulled his hand from beneath the young doctor's then placed it atop hers and patted reassuringly. "I will take full responsibility, Dr. Simmons. You have complete deniability." She smiled weakly and he knew there was more.

Simmons hesitated, staring at the man's hand before she took a deep breath. "I think the best course of action right now is to transfer you to Bethesda or Johns Hopkins. They have the most advance neurological de…"

"That's not an option, Jemma. We ca…" he stopped her before she could finish

"I don't have the resources here, sir. I don't know what else to do." She interrupted right back, struggling to contain her tears. "You can't go on like this sir." Jemma shook her head unable to continue.

Coulson squeezed the hand he still held causing the girl to hiccough and sob quickly then stop. "Jemma," he spoke softly, trying not to sound ridiculous with his goofy nasal voice. "It doesn't matter, Jemma. All the resources in the world won't help. They won't find any more than you did and beside that there isn't a doctor anywhere I trust more than you."

Jemma hiccoughed another sob, but smiled and covered her face to hide the blush she really did not think was possible after everything she had experienced since joining this team. Five years ago she was a wet behind the ears, idealistic kid full of enthusiasm until she was punched in the gut with reality. She'd grown up a lot since then and felt much older than her years.

Coulson shook her hand a bit and smiled. "They won't find any more than you have because there is nothing to find."

"But, sir…" Jemma began to protest.

Shaking his head, Coulson stopped her. "How about you get this paper towel roll out of my schnoz then have a seat and I'll give you what you've been looking for." She stared at him for a moment, gauging his veracity. Taking a deep breath and trusting him as she always did, Jemma nodded and prepared to do as he asked.

After sitting and listening to his recollection of memories and deductions about what had started and fed his pain, Jemma wiped her eyes and blew her nose. She, as well as everyone else, had always suspected there was more to Coulson and May than a simple partnership there had never been a smidgen of proof and now here it was straight from the horse's mouth…so to speak.

"Sir," she smiled at him. "You do realize the improbability of what you are proposing. It's unfathomable that such severe cephalgia although it may well be the reason we're had no success in treating it. And, sir, if it has even the slightest chance of being the source of your infirmity it would be almost impossible to treat. I'm afraid there is no medication that can cure regret or for that matter…" she stopped feeling the pang of loss in her own heart, "…heart ache."

"I don't expect you to, Jemma. I'm afraid I've gotten myself into this mess and I'm going to have to come clean to get myself out." Coulson shrugged. "Actually, I think it feels a little better just telling you," he lied.

Jemma eyed him suspiciously. She wasn't falling for it. "Still a ten, is it?" She smirked.

Coulson closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "More like a twelve, I think," he snorted. "Sure would be nice to have a little more of that sleeping potion you brew." He opened his eyes and looked at the doctor. "A good night's sleep wouldn't hurt and it's been a very long time…"

"By your command," Jemma jested as she turned and made a quiet request of her small medical staff. A few minutes later a tech delivered a small silver tray containing a mean looking hypodermic. Phil grimaced at the object. "Just one small moment of ignominy, sir," Simmons frowned as she motioned for him to roll to his side.

Coulson let out a long sigh and complied.

xx

Daisy rolled to her back and stretched her arms and legs as far as they would reach then pulled back and rolled to her opposite side. She pulled the blankets up to her ears and scrunched the pillow into a ball under her cheek. The girl lay for a few moments then reached out to feel the cool mattress. She opened her eyes and glanced around her room then quickly turned and looked behind her. Daisy let out a disappointed sigh. May was gone…maybe she hadn't even been there…maybe the fever dreams were lingering and all of last night was just something she'd made up.

Daisy was good at making up mothers. She'd been doing it all her life. She'd had dozens. Some resembled Carol Brady and others were more like Shirley Partridge when she imagined herself part of a family with brothers and sisters that got along, most of the time. While others were just a conglomeration of the things she wanted a mother to be, but they were all happy and baked cookies and welcomed her home after school and kissed her goodnight every night.

Staring at the ceiling, Daisy blew out a loud breath with puffed cheeks and threw her arm over her eyes. Melinda May was nothing like any of the women she imagined or wished or made up or whatever you wanted to call it. She was better. She wasn't just the mother Mary Sue/Skye/Daisy/Quake wanted, she was the one she needed and right now she was the one the girl missed. May was never going to be the huggy, cookie baking, kiss you goodnight kinda mom Daisy had imagined but she was May. She was Melinda May and everything Daisy wanted to be. Even with the power that ran through her inhuman…

Inhuman…she was inhuman because of some recessant drip in her DNA…something passed to her by her ancestors…something carried through generations. That meant that one of them…May or Coulson…also carried that gene. Maybe it was like those genetic diseases kids are born with, the kind both parents had to pass on in order to make it possible. Then…then both of them would have to had passed the speck on to her.

Daisy let out a low growl and slammed her fists on the mattress. What the hell was she doing? Her brain was traveling in every direction but the right one. Huh, no surprise for this girl. Her head was never where it was supposed to be. That's what got her in all the hot water she normally swam through or in or around or whatever. She wasn't a ten year old…well, not right now anyway…and however the hell she inherited her inhumanity didn't matter much at this point. Maybe someday…someday in the way distant future they'd all sit down and discuss it but not today.

"Plan on sleeping all day?" May's voice came from the bathroom door causing Daisy to jump with the unexpected surprise.

She sat up and turned to see May rubbing the last of the dampness from her hair. She'd pulled on a pair of Daisy's sweats and one of her favorite T-shirts. "I…I thought…you…" Daisy stammered.

May dropped the towel to her chest. "You thought I left." Daisy looked down at her hands. "I did actually." May smiled as she spun the towel then snapped it at the girl who jumped to the side as it cracked a hare's breath from her thigh. "Wanted to get in the shower before you hogged all the hot water."

Daisy's mouth dropped open and she massaged the spot of the imagined towel sting.

"Close your mouth and get crackin' girl. I want to stop at my bunk and change then we can stop in the com and find some of that mud Coulson likes to drink in the morning." May stated simply as she pulled on her boots.

Daisy stood and blinked a few times, trying to decide if this might just be a dream and she was still curled up in her nice warm bed. She hadn't really slept well in almost a year and being back at the base, even the crumpled base gave her the security to bask in the joy of it once again. In all honesty, SHIELD was the only place she had ever slept well. And well…she could just be having a really, really, REALLY weird dream.

May stood and raised an eyebrow at her, holding her arms out to the side in a 'what the hell?' motion. The girl stepped slowly sideways toward the bathroom door and although she never broke eye contact she also never saw the second towel snap coming.

Daisy yelped and bounced up on her toes as she flung her hand back to cover the sting the wet towel had bit into her butt. Nope, no way this was a dream. That hurt just too damn much.

"I said move, Skye and I meant now!" May barked. She didn't slip. She used that name on purpose, the name she and Phil had given their cyber baby. The name that melted her heart and made her want to hold that little imp in her heart forever.

"Hey, that hurt, damn it!" Daisy growled back, rubbing the spot and glaring at May.

"Good," the older woman smirked. "Got you moving didn't it?" She twirled the towel she still held and faked another snap. Daisy jumped and May laughed a real laugh. Daisy had never heard May laugh, never saw her playful or teasing…just straight-up, stoic, no nonsense May. It was almost unbelievable.

May examined the elongated towel she held with both hands and nodded. "Ya know…I used to be pretty good at this." She snapped the towel toward the door with a loud crack and smiled with satisfaction before spinning it back into tight rope. "Guess, I've still got it, huh?" She looked at the girl who still merely stared with a half amused/half aggravated expression. She snapped it at the girl's side, causing her to jump again and shoot both hands back to cover the target.

"May!" Daisy shrieked a second before the towel snapped again.

"That's mom to you." May laughed again. "Unless you want your ass to look like a used target poster, you better get in that shower." She snapped the towel again, narrowly missing Daisy's backside. "Last warning, next one counts." She spun the towel again, tighter and tighter as she wriggled her eyebrows at the girl and danced from foot to foot.

Daisy finally smiled as she 'danced' to the same beat and judged the distance between where she stood and the bathroom. She'd have to turn her back to her mother to make the sprint. She gave a nod of 'go 'head, I dare you' and made a dash for it hearing the towel crack against the door as she slammed it shut.

xx

Fitz rolled from one monitor to the next, typing furiously on the keyboard he held in his lap. His program ran in infinite circles of ones and zeros. He watched as everything fell into place…ran smoothly without interruption or disruption. The people in his perfect little world were once again living their perfect little lives or at least that was what the read-out led him to believe. He'd plugged in the codes that created the characters in this world using what he knew and what the originals told him. From there his world began but he knew from experience that he could not control what they did or thought or how they reacted. He could throw obstacles in their way or situations that might force them to take another path, but Fitz knew he was not God and that even if he was; he would not make his computer creations bend to his will. It was a game…just a game and the characters walked around in their cyber-generated free will until the players join the simulation and become the avatars, moving and breathing for them…living their lives instead of their own…creating memories to mingle with those already rambling through their minds.

The young scientist paused and stared at the screens. He closed his eyes and let his head drop back. Fitz let out a long exasperated sigh. What gave him the right to manipulate people's lives like he'd been doing? What gave him the right to push and pull his friends…he almost laughed at the term…in and out of a lifetime they'd never really lived? Was he that starved for power? Did he believe himself omnipotent?

Fitz tried to ignore the churning of his stomach, the urge to repel the few morsels he'd eaten in the last few days. He wondered if the others noticed how his sleeves seemed longer and his belt wrapped farther around his waist than it ever had. He held his finger over the delete key for a second before he let it drop with a heavy click….

ARE YOU SURE?

The computer asked in its blind need to be sure the user wasn't making an uncorrectable error.

ALL DATA WILL BE LOST

It warned as if he was not aware that hitting that button would destroy the family Daisy…and Coulson…and May…had built in that perfect little string of numerals would cease to exist in a blip.

The cursor blinked frantically. No that wasn't possible. It was in animate. It could not be frantic or panicked or tired or repulsed by the man whose finger hovered over the key that would silence it. And all those people in that unreal place would di…no, not die, they were really alive. They would simply cease to exist…Little Skye and William and Melinda and Phil, even stoic Lian whom Fitz had never met but created from the short detail May provided…and Simmons, the newest citizen in Fitzwork who just stop and fade…no, just be gone. He'd built a failsafe into his program…no trace of it would slip into the deep dark crevices of his computers, no hacker or tech would ever find a trace of it. It would never be resurrected or rebooted, it would be totally erased. He'd burn every trace of this equipment just to make sure.

Fitz closed his eyes and imagined the hurt in Daisy's eyes when she realized he'd taken away her little self before she could grow up and become the woman he admired. He'd never told her that, never told her how proud he was of what she'd become…how thankful he was that she was able to defeat the monster he had created…how she stood up to The Doctor despite all his efforts to break her. Simmons was right, Daisy was the kid sister he'd never had and he loved her for that. He would go to any length to protect her…until he didn't…until he became that thing…

In his mind he heard May's ranting. She'd swear and slam and threaten even though she put up the most resistance to the idea right from the beginning. He'd watched…watched her return from the world he created haven fallen in love more and more with the little girl she was virtually raising. He'd seen her look at Daisy wishing she was that child, wishing she could feel the same for this girl she never had a chance to raise. He watched as she paced and agonized through the last few weeks when both those girls suffered with some computer virus that somehow evolved to infect humans…or inhumans…he hadn't had the opportunity to investigate all of the data and wasn't sure if he even wanted to after all that had happened.

Fitz let out a sad soundless laugh. Once again he'd created something that did nothing but hurt the people he loved like family. He was no better than Radcliffe…doing what he told him self was a great gift to the world while pushing away the fact that it could and probably would be the world's end.

Coulson would be the worst…even worst than Daisy. He wouldn't really say anything, just give him that look…that broken look would be branded in his mind. He'd never rid himself of it and Coulson would never forgive him, not for that…not for destroying his baby girl and the woman he loved. Oh, yes…Phil Coulson loved Melinda May and if he didn't soon tell her his cerebral pain would drive him to the brink. Fitz knew that pain, knew that hurt and that loss. He knew how it felt to be terrified to tell the woman he could not live without that he loved her more than life itself. He knew how it felt to watch that crumble to dust and blow away in a cold fiery wind.

Jemma…

Fitz closed his eyes and let the tears run over his cheeks until they dripped from his jaw line. His nose ran clear and dribbled over his lip mixing with the salty tears. He used his sleeve like he did as a child and almost heard his mother's scolding. He let out a shaky breath and dropped his finger to the keyboard…

CANCEL

A robotic female voice with a decidedly Scottish accent announced that all actions had been cancelled and the program would continue uninterrupted.

Fitz fell back into his chair and sobbed deeply. He'd already destroyed two lifetimes, he could not afford another.

xx

"Bud why?" Skye whined in a nasal little voice. "I'm dot sick eddymore."

Melinda frowned and looked down at the little girl curled into the corner of the living room soft. "Mmm, hmm, well maybe we'll consider it when you can at least pronounce your words widout all the stuffiness." She imitated the little girl's nasal speech.

Skye let her head drop back on the arm of the sofa and swiped at her nose with the Kleenex she held. "All da kids are owd dare building great stowben and I'n stuck on da couch all day."

"You could still be stuck in bed, baobei. Count your blessings." Melinda smiled as she patted the top of her little girl's head. "How 'bout some of Yéyé's special tea? It will help clear your sinuses for a while."

"Sure," Skye huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. She turned her head away from her mother and stared out the window.

Melinda shook her head. "I'll bring your medicine, too. It's almost time anyway." She started down the hall toward the kitchen. "Dr. Simmons will be here around two to check on you."

Skye tossed the blanket she was wrapped in over her head. Dr. Simmons was very pokey and the last two times she stopped to 'check on' her included a nasty butt-shot not to mention the dreaded thermometer her mother insisted on every time. Dr. Simmons had one of those ear things but mommy wouldn't let her use it. Maybe she could just hide under this blanket until the whole thing went away. She didn't feel bad anymore and she didn't have a fever for almost three days. Yeah, she slept a lot but all that medicine made her head feel dizzy…and she missed Daisy.

Now that she wasn't all fevery or really sick she didn't talk about Daisy at all. Mommy would really think the fever was back because well, Mommy just thought Daisy was make-believe. Daisy was lucky because her May-Mommy knew all about her and never told Daisy she was imaginary.

Skye was worried about her big-self. Daisy didn't look too good that last time. Her eyes were all dark and her face was too white. She was shaky too, not like that weird shaky stuff, but like when you're really cold or scared. Once they got back in their own bodies and all that blue sparky stuff stopped Daisy was just gone. May-Mommy was gone too. She didn't even have a chance to thank her or to say goodbye. Skye really thought by this time they'd both be back and they could talk about the stuff she couldn't say around her Melinda-Mommy.

She let out a long sigh and flipped the blanket back down. It was much too hot and stuffy under there and she was not about to risk even looking like she had a fever. She still hadn't had a chance to use that laptop. Mommy felt it was too much for her while she was getting better, even though she begged and nagged so much it earned her a pop on the tuckus. She was indignant at the time and informed her mother that if she was too sick to play or use her laptop she should be too sick to get a whack as well. Melinda frowned, nodded in agreement and gave her a second pop as an attitude adjustment. Neither hurt, and she was tempted to tell her mother just that but knew the answer would be 'would you like it to?' That of course would be rhetorical because it would be followed by two meaningful backup swats that would definitely sting.

"Extra honey, just the way you like it and extra hot, just the way Yeye makes it, so little sips." Melinda instructed as she set the mug down on a coaster close to the edge of the coffee table. "And yes, you need to drink all of it." She stepped back and shook the bottle she held with vigor then unscrewed the top and poured the thick white liquid into a small plastic dosage cup.

Skye pulled a yuck face. "It tastes like de glue we use in art class. Spells like it too. I beddit is glue and dey just say it's bedicine."

Melinda held the little cup out to her daughter. "Guess we'll just have to take their word for it, won't we." She jiggled the cup a little when the girl did not take it immediately.

"I really doe't wan it." Skye squished her lips together and shook her head.

Melinda let out a small breath. "This is getting old, Skye. Just take the medicine and let's skip the drama." She sounded amused but Skye knew she was not kidding. Being Skye and a little bit of Daisy she refused to give in so easily. "Okay, baobei, have it your way…" Melinda frowned. "One…two…thr…"

Skye sat bolt upright, snatched the little cup and drank it in one gulp. She grabbed her throat and fell back against the couch writhing in mock agony. Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Don't quit your day job." She smiled as she took the cup from the girl and shook her head. "I was going to give you a little surprise but after that performance I think I'll reconsider."

Skye took a quick sip of her tea and set it back on the coaster. "Ahh, cubbon bobby…hab pity on yer suffering baby…" Skye laughed, unable to keep a straight face at her silliness.

Melinda frowned as she turned and walked into the hall. "You are incorrigible, just like your father." She huffed.

Skye stretched her neck and frowned thinking her mother had walked away, but shivered with excitement when she heard her heading back.

"Same deal, xiao houzi, two hours and not one second longer and then you take a nap." Melinda instructed as she set the laptop on her daughter's blanket covered legs.

Skye's eyes and mouth vied for the title of which could open wider. She was speechless, not sure if she wanted to hug the computer or jump up and squeeze her mother tighter than she ever had. She chose to reach up and was not disappointed when her mother leaned down into the tight hug. "Dank you, bobby, dank you so buch." She kissed Melinda over and over until the woman stood back and rubbed her aching hip.

"Don't make me regret this, baobei." Melinda shook a finger at the girl, but smiled.

Skye shook her head, then nodded, then shook her head again, but she was no longer paying any attention to her mother. She'd already flicked the machine on and laid her fingers on the home keys. Melinda shook her head as she smiled and turned toward the kitchen reminding Skye to finish all of her tea. Skye nodded again and reached for the cup but never made contact. Her laptop spun the little welcome circle then opened to a program that immediately fascinated her.

An odd little man stood in the center of the screen waving at her and speaking with an odd accent. The ground was covered with yellow and white daisies and at the top was a dialogue box with a blinking cursor. Skye flicked the mouse to the box and typed one word.

DAISY?

Across the cyberverse, Fitz turned to the sound of a chime on the laptop he'd used to rescue Daisy and put Skye back where she belonged. He stared at the block letters in the dialogue box at the top of the screen and spoke one word out loud to himself.

"Skye?"


	33. Chapter 33 - In Your Wildest Dreams

**Chapter 33**

 **In Your Wildest Dreams**

Fitz stood staring at the blinking cursor that waited for a response. This just wasn't possible and yet it was. He had managed to make contact with Daisy across the cyber-verse. He had created this nonsensical game to get a message to her, to let her know they were there to help and would in fact rescue her and her little avatar. Avatar, suddenly that term did not seem fitting for the cyber people he had created. Even the term inhuman meant a lot less than what these…these cerebral beings had become. He had a flashback to an episode of some old space drama he'd watched as a kid where the population of some planet lost their physical bodies because they'd created these cerebral beings to replace them. Yeah, they'd live forever but would they really live and was that really living. And if he answered the little girl, the little girl that was in fact Daisy, or Skye or a combination of them both or maybe not yet but would be eventually…the possibilities spun his genius brain in multiple directions causing him to feel the room tilting to the side. He grabbed the edge of the table to steady himself.

If he answered, would he be contributing to whatever means of mass destruction this folly would take. Even if he could convince himself it was harmless, it was only a game, his games always caused heartache and yet destruction. A few minutes ago he was ready to delete, destroy and burn every last remnant of this program but now…now this little imp was somehow sentient and ending the program would be killing her and that would be murder and was he capable of that. AIDA had killed all of those beings in the Framework. People he had come to know. She wiped them away with a tap of a key. It would have taken all of them if Daisy and…and Jemma hadn't had the courage to pull them out. And Yoyo…Elena going back in the last few hours to rescue the man she loved. All of them would have died with AIDA's click, could he do the same now to the beings the existed only in this program…only in this room.

DAISY? ARE YOU THERE?

The letters appeared slowly, replacing the name that had blinked there for the last few minutes. Now there was no doubt. He watched as each one popped along side the cursor, how the same cursor backspaced when the child misspelled a word and then corrected it.

Skye was reaching out and she would not give up. No, Skye was smart and stubborn and would learn quickly how to maneuver through code and design. He almost laughed at the thought of the ten year old building her own framework in the basement of her house and sending herself back to berate him for not answering. But no, she was ten and…and…

Fitz turned back to his own keyboards, dropping down in his seat and reviewing his time line data to be sure he had not reset the program back to skipping through Daisy's formative years. Skye could wake up tomorrow and be sixteen, twenty the next and by then would certainly have the capacity to do the impossible after all she was Skye…she was Daisy and that's what Daisy did almost everyday…the impossible.

The man let out a soft breath as he realized the time line was set to continue on a day to day progression with Skye aging normally. It was small consolation but it gave him a little time to figure out what to do or how to do it or who to tell and who not to tell. Trust wasn't something the others would give him easily, not after…

"Fitz," Jemma's soft voice interrupted his thoughts as she stormed into the room carrying two large texts with several page markers hanging out like long pink tongues. She dropped them down on the nearest table with a thud and stood back to collect her balance. "I need your help." She sighed as she massaged her lower back.

"Help?" he repeated guiltily as he stood and side stepped to the small laptop still opened to the kiddish program and nonchalantly flipped it closed. It would hibernate until he could get back to it.

"Yes, well…yes," she stammered, flipping open the top book and running her index finger down the length of one column of print. "I've been doing some research trying to solve Coulson's headache mystery and I…"

"Jemma," Fitz spoke softly, interrupting as he watched her. "You know I'm not a medical doctor."

She looked at him with a hint of frustration. "Well, of course I know that but you are the most intelligent person I know and in that I know that you know something about practically anything and with all your work with robots and brain function and emotions I know you can at least tell me if I've got something."

She slowed down, realizing by the look on his face that she was rambling. He couldn't hide it. It was almost second nature. It was the same look he given her since that first time in chemistry class when she was so excited about sharing her revelations that she went on and on until she made hardly a bit of sense at all.

Fitz raised one eyebrow and for a moment she thought she recognized the man she loved…the man she knew was still there. She'd reach him, she knew. It would take time but he was there and this was proof.

Jemma shrugged her shoulders. "Well, in the very least you are a man and that should give you a bit of incite into my theory, that and there's really no one else to ask."

"I spose it wouldn't hurt to try then would it," Fitz hemmed, after all they'd always had science. It was something they could still share, something sure and solid to stand between them…to keep them connected. "And it was you that did all the brain research and mapping when May was sick, if I recall correctly." He reminded her.

Jemma missed the dig as she went on. "That's what got me thinking, Fitz. The brain is such a wonderful mystery full of all sorts of things we haven't even begun to understand, but we do know that each part of the brain serves a purpose…reasoning, vision, memory…there's a place for everything. In May's case it was fear and that almost killed her." Fitz nodded slowly. He suspected where this was leading.

"You theorize Coulson's pain is caused by his fear of…of…" Fitz stumbled wondering just what Phil Coulson could or would fear. Hell, yeah they'd been to hell and back. Damn it the man's head burst into flame a few weeks ago and well…what was left. He'd been dead, had his hand axed off, spent months carving alien figures into the wall, watched his kid turn into an addict before his eyes and seen the agency he gave his life for turn to ashes…literally. Nope, Fitz couldn't think of a thing Phil Coulson would lose sleep over.

"May" Jemma smiled.

For the first time in months Fitz actually laughed, a real fully belly bent over at the waist laugh. Jemma couldn't even be upset, it was music to her ears and when he stood with tears in his eyes she marveled at the fact that just this once they were good tears.

"You think Coulson is afraid of May? Our Coulson? His May? Oh, Jemma you and I have known for a very long time that there is more to our superiors than the little winks and smirks they think we don't see, but fear…no way. There is absolutely no way Coulson is ever afraid of May. Even at her worst, on her angriest day…he's the one that brings her down…cools her off and makes things all rosy again."

Jemma tapped the book with her finger and smiled as she shook her head. "No silly, he's not afraid of _May._ He's afraid _of_ May."

Fitz paused for a moment and watched as she nodded her head and narrowed her eyes. "Oh, yeah…yeah because it makes so much more sense when you say it like that."

"Oh, Fitz," Jemma let out a frustrated breath and fell into an old routine of trying to make him understand where her thoughts were going. He was a genius but sometimes he was just such a dolt. She pointed to a passage in the large text. "Look, read…read this piece right here."

He stepped next to her and waited a beat before she moved her finger. She apologized and stepped aside, re-reading the piece as he did. Fitz finished quickly then stood back and let out a long breath.

"Jemma, this is all speculation. There is no real diagnosis of a stress headache and if that were the case the man's head would have burst into flame long before that motorcycle, Hell's Angel person helped it along." He almost made fun of her theory.

Jemma Simmons was used to Fitz taking this stance. She counted on it. It gave her drive and made her more to determined to find an answer and prove him wrong. "No, not just work stress Fitz, Coulson's cornered the market on that. I'm talking about emotional stress, penned up, chronic emotional stress that's all come to a head with what's gone on for the last year and what's probably been locked in his head for more years than we can count." She paused and waited for Fitz to respond. He merely shrugged. She let out a curt breath and continued. "How long do you think they've known each other…May and Coulson?"

Fitz snickered and raised his brows. "Well, at least twenty five or twenty six years, if we're correct on Daisy's age."

"But they knew each other before that," Jemma tapped her finger on her chin, ignoring Fitz's comment. "I seem to remember him saying they met at the Academy." She spun back to him. "We really don't even know how old they are, do we?"

"I don't see why it would ever matter…" Fitz started then stopped as she waved a hand at him.

"It doesn't, but it helps to know just how long he's been repressing these feelings."

"What feelings?" Fitz sighed.

Jemma turned and looked at the man as if didn't know. "His feelings for Agent May, of course." She sighed.

Fitz shook his head. "I think she is very much aware of how he feels."

Jemma pursed her lips and looked up at him over her furrowed brows. "A woman likes to hear the man she loves say those words, Fitz not just…well, not just guess that he does and I think our director knows that."

"He's not a director anymore," Fitz mumbled. "There's not even anything left to direct. We should all be suffering from headaches knowing we're fugitives and it's only a matter of time before we're all thrown into some god-forsaken prison in who knows where to sit out the rest of our worthless lives."

"Fitz," Jemma stopped him. "All of this has not been worthless and none of us certainly are. Everything we did, we did because we believed in it and still do. Broken things can be fixed, Fitz. It just takes more time and effort sometimes."

Fitz shook his head. "Not everything broken is fixable, Jemma. Some things are so badly crushed that there's nothing left to put back together, no where to start over or enough glue to patch it all back the way it was."

Jemma swallowed the lump in her throat. "Then we're new again." She spoke softly. "We reboot and bloom where we've landed. Even the grass will eventually find a way to sprout through concrete. Life finds a way, Fitz. You know that."

Fitz stole a glance at the laptop and then looked back at her. "Everything I touch turns to…to this, Jemma. I just can't…" He spread out his arms and failed to stop a tear from running over one cheek.

Jemma took his hand, feeling the cold of it before he gently slid it from her grasp. She swallowed hard before going on. "We don't need to change everything, Fitz. We just need to do this one thing for Coulson. Who knows what will happen from there?"

He thought for a moment then nodded. Coulson was worth it and deserved a break. Hell, they all did and all that saving the world stuff could get put aside just this once. Just this once the one mattered more than the many…

"If you're right, there is no medication that can relieve his pain." Fitz pondered.

"No, there isn't, but you and I _and_ Daisy have a lot of work to do." Jemma replied.

Fitz nodded as the laptop on the counter bleeped loudly.

xx

"I don't know how you drink this swill," May growled as she wrinkled her nose at the black liquid slowly drizzling into the glass pot.

Daisy watched as the drizzle wound down to a slow drip. She ripped open a packet of hot chocolate mix with her teeth and dumped it into the large mug she had set next to the machine affectionately known as 'Bunny' to all the agents who had once graced the presence of the Playground. She pulled the pot from the heat plate and grimaced as the last few drips splashed against the metal, immediately giving off that sour smell of burnt java. Even the hardest core drinker turned up their nose at that aroma. She shrugged a sideways apology to May who was clearly offended by the smell as she filled the same mug half way with the deep dark liquid.

May watched as she stirred the cocoa powder into the coffee until it completely dissolved then used regular creamer to fill the mug almost to the top. Grabbing a small container of an artificially flavored Irish Crème flavoring she topped off the beverage. The girl stirred it again then licked the spoon before dropping it into the sink.

Daisy wrapped both hands around the mug, lifted it to her lips and blew slowly across the top of the cup before taking a quick sip. She looked across the rim at May who she realized was staring back, smiled and used her tongue to erase the 'moustache' the coffee had left. The girl shrugged her shoulders. "I guess it's an acquired taste.

May kept a serious expression despite her need to laugh at her daughter's creation. "Yeah, I guess, especially if you like a little coffee with your milk."

Daisy's eyebrows rose as she took another sip of her coffee and eased herself into the nearest chair. She set the mug down and chuckled. "Creating the morning jolt is an art Mayyyy…ommm." She slurred the two names into one in a rising arpeggio of sing-song.

May shook her head as she pulled a second large mug from the now door-less cupboard that hung a bit off center in the com room. It wasn't great but everyone who still used what was left of the crippled base had done their best to make the place as 'homey' as it once was.

Now it was Daisy's turn to watch as her mother poured coffee to within an inch of its rim. The girl swallowed a silent giggle as May put a lot more sugar that Daisy was sure she approved of into the liquid and stirred it slowly. Moving to the refrigerator May pulled out a small pitcher of what Coulson always referred to as 'canned cream' and made sure it was always available on base. Daisy tasted it once. 'Nasty' was the kindest description she could offer, but he swore by it. She watched May add the thick off-white dairy product to the mug stopping just below the tip of the top.

Daisy took another sip of her creation and set the mug on the table. "S'odd how you hate the stuff so much and then know exactly how he likes it."

May smirked without turning around, refusing to take the girl's bait. Daisy was on a fishing expedition and her mother had no intention of giving her so much as a nibble. She looked ahead at the wall as she tapped the spoon on the rim of the mug to return the remnants to the liquid. "We're in the people business, kid…that's what we do…notice."

Daisy bit her bottom lip and nodded quickly. May turned and placed the mug on the table then pulled the kettle, where her favorite tea had steeped, from the counter and poured the amber liquid into a fine teacup. She sipped it once then took a long swallow before turning back and filling it a second time. This time Daisy grimaced.

"Ugh, not even a grain of sugar?" She shook her head at the thought.

"I'd use honey if we had some, but the larder is not very healthy these days." She replied as she began opening the few cupboards that did still have doors, clearly in search of something.

"The old bunkers below are still in good shape." Daisy offered. "I think I saw something that read rations down there a while ago." She shrugged and took another drink of her coffee, swallowed and set the mug down. "Honey lasts forever, no expiration date. Maybe there's a jar or two down there. I can look." She offered with a quick raise of her brows.

May turned, for a moment abandoning her search. She faced the young girl with a dead pan expression. "I seriously doubt the United States Army felt honey was a necessity for the battlefield."

Daisy rose and reached over her mother as the woman opened and closed doors on the lower cabinets. She pulled a bright red box from the cupboard and tucked it under her arm before snagging a bowl and grabbing the spoon she had thrown into the sink. Rolling around May as she stood the girl backed to the fridge and dragged out a carton of milk. She carried her loot back to the table, set the bowl and box down next to her mug and turned to watch her mother continue her search.

"What are you looking for?" Daisy finally asked as May stood back and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Well, the man's gotta eat something," she exhaled as she dropped her hands to her hips and stared at the cabinets before her. "Damn," she muttered silently.

Daisy stopped with her cereal box held over the large bowl. She cringed for a moment before turning toward May while the bits of breakfast fodder plinked against the ceramic container. "Geez, your not planning on cooking are you?" She tossed a handful of colorful cereal into her mouth before turning to face her mother, who now glared back at the accusation.

"I thought I'd find a box of cereal in one of these compartments." May spoke slowly as she stepped toward the girl and yanked the still opened box from her hand. She turned it and smirked as she read the label 'although, I'm not too sure he'd appreciate blue moons and green clovers." Setting the box on the table, she eyed the pile of the sugary oats and marshmallows in Daisy's bowl along with the debris around it.

Daisy chewed her mouthful and swallowed. "Hey, don't knock it. They're magically delicious." She twisted the top off the milk, took a quick sniff just to be sure then smiled and dumped it on the cereal mound sending more bits across the table top.

"Mmmm hmmm," May rolled her eyes and shook her head. She pointed at the mess. "And I almost believed Skye was responsible for this the last time."

Daisy laughed as she scooped the cereal into a pile then pushed it off the edge of the table into her hand. "I am _totally_ innocent in that matter," she tossed the bits into her mouth and smiled at May.

"Baobei, you are not _totally_ innocent in any bit of turmoil that goes on around here." May spoke low, hiding the humor she felt in the situation.

Daisy shrugged. "I think there's some flakey, crispy corn rice kinda thingies way in the back up there. Not sure how long we have it or who put it there." She shook her head as she dropped into her chair and picked up her spoon. "Might be growin' whiskers by now, if it's even edible," she shoveled a overfilled spoonful of her favorite cereal into her mouth, pushing the falling bits in with her fingers before they fell to the table. Around that she laughed, "could be snap, crackle, POOSSSSH!, by now." She exploded the fingers on her free hand as milk spittle sprayed from her snicker. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

May shook her head. "You eat like a ten year old." She mumbled as she turned away.

"Yep," Daisy smiled around her mouthful, again catching a bit that almost dropped to her chest, "tastes better that way."

Spotting the toaster pushed behind an open box of crackers on the counter, May smiled. "Toast," she thought out loud, "can't screw up toast." She pulled open the refrigerator grabbing a half loaf of whole wheat and a jar of strawberry jam.

"Cold toast, mmmm," Daisy commented around chewing.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," May growled as she pulled the toaster free. She smiled to herself before she continued. Looking up at the clock that hung on one of the blackened walls she spoke to her daughter without turning to watch her reaction. "Don't you have an appointment with Simmons this morning? Pretty sure she mentioned something about one last dose of those powerful meds she gave you when you were sick." She smirked knowing the expression that now covered the girl's face especially at the sound of the spoon dropping into the bowl.

"You're kidding," Daisy moaned, sucking cereal and milk back through her teeth before chewing and swallowing hard. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I'm fine! No fever for days…almost a week. Come on, May…mom, talk to her. Tell her I don't need any more shots." She let her body go limp as she turned and held the back of the chair with both hands, "specially _those_ shots." The girl turned back and slumped down in her chair. "It took her almost a half hour to jam the last one home and it must have been five inches long and thick as a straight pin!" Her lip turned out in a fine pout.

May shrugged, unable to turn and face the girl with a straight face. She shook her head. "More like two minutes, two inches and well, yeah it was a bit large gauge. _And_ it was only two minutes because of the fuss you put up." May pushed a few items away from the wall in order to locate an outlet and shoved the plug into it. "Relapse can be a lot worse, wouldn't want that to happen." She pressed the lever on the toaster down and watched the thin red lines inside come to life. "What kind of a mother would I be putting my child in that kind of danger?" She sighed as she finally turned and faced the girl.

"You'd be a great one…a marvelous one who would CMA before Jemma pulls out another one of those damn spears and skewers me again." The girl whined.

May smiled as she patted the girl's cheek softly. "You'll survive a little pinch on the pigu. You've had a lot worse."

Daisy spun in her chair as May sat next to her and sipped her tea. "Yeah, well it's one thing to take a punch or a kick or whatever in the heat of a good fight but…but to just…just have to just hang there and wait for it and then, gawd I think Simmons enjoys jabbing that dart where the sun doesn't shine. I mean when has she ever, _ever_ even once stuck one of her stingers in my biceps…no…no, it's always butt shots. Damn!" The girl turned back dropped her forehead to touch the table top. She stretched her arms out across the table, careful not to upset the cereal bowl and mumbled. "I've got two perfectly good arms and she just has to shoot the moon."

May stifled a laugh then reached over and patted her arm gently. "Now, Daisy, you know Jemma worries about all the damage you do to your arms all on your own. How many fractures and capillary eruptions have you had? She just doesn't want to cause you any harm or stifle your ability to be our first and best defense. Hell, right now you're probably our only defense.

Daisy turned her palms up, then down and dropped them against the table. She pulled her head up and frowned at May. "And stabbing me in the largest muscle…one highly involved in all those fancy kicks you taught me…is fair game?" Her voice squeaked and May envisioned Skye posing the argument. In fact in the last few days she had seen more of her little girl in the young woman than she ever thought possible.

Uncharacteristically, May tilted her head and was almost able to form a 'boo boo' face. "Don't worry about it baobao, I'll come with you and hold your hand the whole time." She teased.

Daisy shook her head without rising then looked up resting her chin on the back of her hands. The sound of the toaster popping brought May to her feet. She patted the girl's shoulder as she moved toward the counter and dropped the hot bread onto a plate to butter it. "Finish, your sugar feast Daisy then we'll get this to Coulson."

"Get what to Coulson?" a familiar voice brought both of them to turn toward the door.

"What are you doing out of bed?" May asked as she dropped the buttered and jellied toast onto the plate and turned toward him.

Daisy had already crossed the room and wrapped her arms around his neck resting her head under his chin. "Coulson," she breathed into the embrace as he returned the hug and kissed her softly on the back of the head.

He looked over the girl to May. "I heard they were serving breakfast and thought I'd get here before the rush." He almost looked away when she didn't return the smile.

xx

Melinda tapped on her daughter's door twice before pushing it open. She shook her head as she crossed the room and sat gently on the edge of the mattress.

Skye lay curled into a tight ball, hugging Ling-a-ling and sobbing softly, although she cut it to silent mode hearing her mother approach. May put her hand on the little girl's back and rubbed small circles for a moment before speaking.

"Hey, baobei, come on it wasn't that bad and Dr. Simmons said it was the last shot as long as the fever doesn't come back. I can get you some Tylenol, if it's really that bad." She smiled at the back of her little drama queen's head.

Skye shook her head and buried her face in the little stuffed dog. The dull throb that was the spot the lady doctor had poked that horrible butt shot was nothing compared to the hurt that maybe she had lost her big self. Daisy hadn't thinked to her since they were both sick. It was more than a week ago and Daisy hadn't faded into her or come to the dark room or just let her know she was there. Skye had felt her older ego's presence all her life in one way or another. Even as an infant it seemed the older girl was there, watching her, smiling at her…even singing to her when she was frightened or sad. Daisy was just there and now she was nothing. Skye felt empty, like she lost something but couldn't put her finger on what it was. She hated the feeling and hated that there was no one to tell.

Doctor Simmons had spent a long time with her today. Sure she did all the normal stuff like looking in her eyes and ears, listening to her heart and squishing her arm to see what kind of pressure her blood had. Skye never understood that part. The doctor pressed on her stomach and her neck and tapped on a lot of her just listening. Skye wondered if a body had some kind of echo doctor's listened to when they did all that. Dr. Simmons apologized several times when it came to taking her temperature and tried to be real, real sad about that damn shot.

Jemma asked if there was anything that might help, if she wanted her mom to come hold her hand or just sit with her. Skye shook her head and felt the heat rise in her cheeks. She sat back against her pillows and played with the little fuzzy bumps on her blanket. Peeking up at the doctor she mumbled a simple request as she tried not to watch the doctor preparing that awfully big needle.

"I'm sorry, darling, I didn't quite hear you." Jemma smiled but did not look away from what she was doing. Skye liked hearing the doctor talk. It was so soft and friendly, not all doctory and fake like some people spoke to her just cuz she was a kid.

Skye looked up at the woman over her brows then cast a quick glance to the closed door. She let out a long sigh and took a breath. "I want to say 'damn' really loud, just like my friend D-does when she's mad about something."

The doctor set down the hypodermic and turned toward the little girl. She laughed out loud and took Skye's hand holding it between her own. Patting softly she gave a quick wink. "Oh, poppet," she reached up and tucked a stray hair behind the little girl's ear. "You may shout 'damn' as loud and as many times as you like."

Skye smiled and gave a quick nod then reconsidered. "Maybe I should scream it into my pillow," she thought out loud as she slid onto her tummy. She grabbed the upright object and punched into in to a fluffy puff just as Melinda tapped once and opened the door.

"Everything alright up here?" She smiled, peeking around her hand that held the door

Jemma looked at Skye and winked once before turning to Melinda. "Skye and I are just finishing up. So far everything's been just fine."

Melinda eyed the prepared hypodermic on the nightstand. She took a step into the room.

"No!" Jemma and Skye answered together as the little girl held her prepared pillow and cast a quick look over her shoulder.

Jemma placed her hand on the little girl's back and gave her a quick nod. "We're doing just wonderfully Mrs. Coulson…Melinda," she changed her address before the other woman could remind her again.

"Skye would like to brave this last injection on her own." Dr. Simmons smiled.

"Yeah, mom," Skye rested on her elbow and looked at her mother. "I can't be a baby about it forever."

Melinda stepped back, feeling the stab in her heart. Her baby didn't need her? Mom? What happened to mommy? Do it on her own? Skye, who had to be held down, geez almost laid on top of for the last two shots? Skye who was less concerned that her father was part of the hold down team than she was with him even being in the room?

"Okay, then," Melinda spoke slowly. "I'll just stay over here in case you change your mind."

"I won't," Skye shook her head. "You can go…" Skye cast a quick glance at the shot on the table and tried not to second guess herself, but… "Go wait in the hall, okay, just til Jemma's done and then maybe I might n-need you a l-little."

Melinda smiled at her little one's false bravado and nodded at the doctor before she started to back out of the room. "Okay, baobei you just call me if you need me." She gave the little girl a quick 'thumb's-up that Skye returned with lack luster gusto."

The door closed slowly as the doctor lowered the blanket then slid the little girl's pajama's away from the target. She picked up the shot and spritzed it once. "Ready?"

Skye shook her head and jumped as the cold alcohol swab cleaned a small area. "How many times can I say it?" The little girl asked with her eyes closed and her body tensed.

Jemma rubbed her hand on the child's back. "You need to relax, sweetheart. That way it won't hurt so much and you can say it as many times as you want." Jemma held the needle upright and waited for Skye to let out the breath she was holding.

The little girl took two more deep breaths and let them out slowly then nodded. "I'm ready," she said so fast it was difficult to understand then swiftly dropped her face into the fluffy pillow.

Jemma smiled and made contact.

"DAMN!" Skye screamed into the pillow, her voice muffled but still audible. "Damn, damn, damn, daaaaaaammmmmmmnnnnn!" Her tone rose in pitch and volume as she picked up her head and tried not to kick her feet. "DAMN, DAMN, DAMN IT TO HELL AND BACK! Damn, damn, d-damn!"

It hurt, it really hurt more than she remembered but it was also great to say 'damn' just like Daisy did, to even use some of things she heard Daisy say. It made her really believe that yes, she was Daisy just a smaller, kiddier version. When she found her big self she'd tell her all about it and then Daisy would tell her not to say 'damn' and she'd laugh.

Jemma chuckled as she extracted the needle and rubbed the area with another alcohol swab, tugged up the girl's clothing and pulled the blanket over her. Skye dropped her head into the pillow and screamed as loud as she could, feeling the tears spill from her eyes.

"You did quite well," Jemma smiled as she patted the girl's head and dropped the needle into a portable sharps box. "I'm proud of you."

Skye rolled to her side and blinked a few times before drawing a breath. "Jemma?" She inhaled. The doctor raised her eye brows in answer. "I think I need my mom."

Skye hadn't meant to let it out in a sob but it happened anyway and Melinda, who had stood right outside the not quite fully closed door, was next to her child before the doctor had a chance to step away.

"Mommy," Skye sniffled as her mother pulled her into her arms and gently massaged the injury.

Melinda winked at Jemma over the little girl's head and mouthed 'Damn?'. Jemma lifted her brows and smiled as she repacked her little black bag and gave a quick wave before ducking out of the room.

Mother and daughter sat together until Skye was well comforted but now almost two hours later here they were again. "I thought we were all past this, baobei." Melinda spoke softly as she rubbed her hand up and down Skye's arm.

Skye rolled into her mother's embrace and cried the bitter tears she'd been holding. Melinda wrapped her in a hug and for the umpteenth time in the last few weeks tried to shake off the feeling that she no longer understood her baby.

"Skye, honey, it's not that bad. It's over, no more shots. Dr. Simmons says it's all done. You are officially better. You can even go back to school next week." Melinda laughed.

Skye sniffled and leaned back to look up at her mother. "That's not funny, mommy." She sniffed again and wiped her face on the sleeve of her pajamas. Melinda frowned her disapproval and pulled a few tissues from the daisy covered tissue box then held them out to the little girl. Skye took them, wiped her eyes and blew her nose a few times before letting out a deep sigh.

"I'm not crying about the shot, mommy, but it did really, really hurt a lot." She wriggled her bottom a little on the mattress.

"I bet it was a _damn_ pain." Melinda smiled as she leaned down to bump her forehead against her daughter's. Skye felt the blush cover her cheeks but did not react to her mother's comment. "You want to tell me what all the tears are about, then?" Melinda asked still head to head with Skye.

At first the little girl shrugged but had a very difficult time shirking off her mother's question when eyeball to eyeball with her. "I miss…I miss Daisy," she said quickly and waited for the axe to fall.

"Hmmmm," Melinda crooned as she sat back and brushed Skye's hair from her eyes. "It's hard to lose a friend."

"Oh, momma, I can't lose her. I just can't." The little girl started crying again, almost panicking at her mother's suggestion. She grabbed Melinda's hands and squeezed both. "Daisy is my very best friend, my longest best, best friend. She just can't be gone, she can't."

Melinda smiled a sad smile. It was so hard to grow up and so sad that children had to let go of all those magical moments of childhood…Santa Claus and birthday wishes and now her little imaginary friend. "It's okay, baobao, maybe it's _time_ to let her go. Maybe you'll…"

"No," Skye sobbed. "No, mommy, Daisy can't be gone. I need her. She needs me, too and…and someday I'm gonna be her and she'll always be me and her May-Mommy knows all about me and knows I'm not make believe. Maybe something bad happened, mommy. Maybe the bad people found Daisy and her family and hurt them. Maybe there was a bigger explosion. Maybe those bad guys in the subway found them because of me. Maybe…"

"Hey, hey," Melinda stopped the girl's nonsensical rambling. Skye was talking so fast that very little made sense. "Baobei, calm down, shhhh, shhhh," she pulled the little girl to her chest and pressed her cheek to her forehead, then did the same with her lips. It wasn't unusual for Skye to develop a low grade fever after immunizations but this was more of an antibiotic booster. The girl was flustered, but not warm. She continued sobbing against her mother's chest.

"What if she never comes back, momma, what'm I gonna do?" Skye sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve again, before Melinda plopped the Kleenex box in her lap. After blowing her nose and sniffling several times she looked at her mother, pleading with her eyes. "Maybe you and daddy can use all your insurance stuff to find her. You said you helped people and maybe she really needs help, mommy. Daisy wouldn't just forget about me," Skye sobbed deeply as she tapped her fingers against her heart. "You can't forgot about your own self. Something really bad…something must have happened. Please mommy, please I have to find her."

Again the little girl broke down. Melinda embraced her and kissed the top of her head, softly shushing her.

Kids are funny people. They make you laugh then break your heart. You want to just duct tape them to a chair and then you envy their endless energy. Their loud and demanding and sweet and loving and just when you wish they'd just leave you alone you realize you couldn't live without them. They make you see the wonder of the world through their eyes and then it when crumbles around them you wipe your own tears then bend over backwards to put it back together.

Melinda May's baby was hurting, hurting more than she had ever seen her child hurt.

And she had no idea how to fix it…

xx

Fitz stared at the laptop for a moment before turning back to Jemma. She let out a frustrated huff. "I'll let you get back to what you were doing, Fitz, but please give this some thought. There is no medicine I can give the director to make this pain go away but I think there is a way we can convince him to cure himself."

Fitz nodded, without giving a verbal answer. He'd do what he could to help, but did not hold out much hope. Maybe Coulson and May were just as cursed as he and Jemma were. Maybe everyone involved in this agency, this kind of world had some kind of Joe Btfsplk¹ cloud hanging over their head. Maybe it just came with the territory. Hell, the forces of the universe kept him and Simmons apart, Daisy's luck was deadly and who the hell knew the whole Coulson/May story.

But that one little girl…that one sweet little girl who ought to have a better…no a second chance…that piece of Daisy that would always be Skye, she deserved more… She held a spot in his heart and he couldn't bring himself to let her down. Maybe it was guilt…maybe it was something better but whatever it was….

Fitz flipped open the laptop and tapped the spacebar. It woke up displaying the last message the little girl had typed.

DAISY, PLEASE ANSEWR ME

The man smiled at the typo the child had left uncorrected as he replied.

ALL IS WELL, SKYE

DAISY WILL BE BACK

¹ Joe Btfsplk, character in Li'l Abner comic strip, brings disaster to everyone around him, created by Al Capp around 1947


	34. Chpt 34 Life is Full of Ups and Downs

**Chapter 34**

 **Life is Full of Ups and Downs**

"You look like hell." May growled as she set the mug of coffee in front of Coulson.

"Been there and back more times than I'd like to count," he smiled back as he pulled his chair into the table.

"Sure as hell feels that way," Daisy agreed around another spoonful of colorful cereal.

May cast her a warning glare and she returned it with a _'what'_ glance of her own.

"Still eating candy for breakfast, huh?" Coulson nodded toward Daisy's bowl. She started to answer around a mouthful but one look from May had her merely nodding with a little added eyebrow wriggle. Coulson smiled back and sipped his coffee. He didn't say anything but it was perfect, just the way he would have done it himself.

"Well, other than Daisy's bowl full of marshmallow treats there's not a lot here. We're running low on supplies and after Skye's little escapade in the subway I don't think it's wise to venture out to restock." May informed him. "There's bread so toast is an option."

"I'm not all that hungry." Coulson remarked as he took another sip of the morning brew. "Simmons insisted I eat something before she paroled me."

May responded with a grunt. "Twelve hours ago you could barely hold your head up and now you sit here like it was nothing."

Daisy chewed another mouthful of crunchy sweetness and looked to her father for his comeback. Keeping any comment to herself at this point seemed her wisest choice.

"It was a headache, May, just a little worse than usual." He set his mug down but kept his hands wrapped around it, tapping one finger on the handle. "Besides," he continued, staring into the liquid the mug held. "Simmons can't really do anything more."

"What do you mean?" Daisy stammered as she dropped the spoon into her bowl and stood with both hands on the table.

May simply stared at him, boring her questions and opinions into him with only her eyes. He smiled back his answer as he placed a hand over one of Daisy's. "You both need to relax. I'm not going anywhere." He squeezed her hand once as she sat down and looked to May. "She's done every test she can with what she has and she's found nothing. I'm just cursed with these damn pains. I can live with it.""

"It's my fault," Daisy mumbled as she slumped in her chair. "I never should have asked you to go back into that damn program. I should have just left it alone. I had no right."

"Stop right there," Coulson ordered in his director's voice. "We…" he looked at May. "I… _I_ went into that program with you and May because _I_ wanted to…I wanted to have all those memories with you and wi…we needed to make them. We all needed something good after everything we've dealt with in the last…hell in years. We just needed a break."

May folded her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him.

He looked at her and smiled, took another drink and once again set down his mug. "The headaches started long before all of this."

May let out a small huff and looked away, biting off the comments she would not say in front of Daisy.

She needn't say anything. He could read her thoughts. He knew her that well and almost smiled at the sound of her rant in his mind. "They started small, just little twinges whenever I…when I thought too much about our situation. When I thought about all we had to lose. I guess they just got worse when I let my guard down."

Daisy looked at him and then at May and then at him looking at May. Suddenly she felt as if she was crowding the room. She quickly drank the last of her coffee and stood taking her bowl and mug to the sink. "I'm going to find Simmons." The girl announced. "Maybe she can straighten this out or at least confirm that AC didn't just order himself out of the med bay." She smiled at Coulson and gave May a quick nod before exiting the room.

The couple watched as their daughter hurried out the door both knowing why she'd been in such a hurry to leave. They turned to each other with one fleeting glance. Both picked up their respective cups and drank.

The silence was deafening.

xx

Melinda lay against Phil's chest, listening to the beat of his heart and watching it rise and fall. "I'm worried about Skye, Phil." She stated softly, but startling him as he was drifting into slumber.

He took the hand that lay on his chest into his own. "I thought you said Dr. Simmons gave her a clean bill of health." His voice was groggy with sleep.

Melinda let out a soft breath. "She did, but I'm worried, Phil. Something is just not right. She was so upset this afternoon. She cried for hours over Daisy."

"Daisy? A flower?" Phil mused

"No Phil, _Daisy_. You remember, Daisy. She talked about her all the time when she was a toddler." Melinda lifted her head and looked at him. "We thought it was so cute when she told us all those stories."

He looked back at her. "But she stopped all that when she started school. I thought she just grew out of it."

"And when she was so sick, so feverish and delirious, Daisy was all she wanted, all she talked about." Melinda reminded him.

"It was the fever, Mel." He assured her with a gentle hug.

"No, Phil, I think it was more than that. She talked about Daisy again today as if she was real as if she's been here all this time. She said Daisy was her and she was Daisy. She's afraid something's happened to her and her family. Her _family_ , Phil." Melinda sounded more than concerned. "She's never, ever said anything about Daisy's family. She called someone her May mommy and that she knew it wasn't make-believe."

Phil kissed her temple. "She's been so sick, Mel. She must have had some wild dreams."

"Oh, Phil," Melinda tried to contain her sob. "What if she…what if the fever caused some sort of brain damage or she's got some mental issues or…"

"Shhhh," Phil hushed her with a squeeze. "She's fine, Mel, she's fine. You know she's always been dramatic with that wild imagination. She's tired and maybe just needs to get back to a normal routine. We've all been through a lot." He thought for a moment. "What'd ya say we all take a vacation, go someplace sunny and warm, just escape all this gloomy winter cold?"

Melinda thought for a moment. "That might be good for Skye. She loves the beach and the sun would do her good."

Phil kissed the top of her head. "I will make arrangements tomorrow. We can be in sunny Puerto Vallarta by the weekend. We'll spend some time there, maybe do a little globe trotting with our little one. She'll be too busy to worry about anything but getting better and having fun. And missing school for that long should put her right over the moon." He laughed at how much his little one hated going to school.

Melinda smiled. Her worries were not relieved but at least she had some hope. Phil was right. They all needed to just get away from everything and feel better.

xx

Skye lay awake in her bed, staring at the ceiling, debating on whether or not to carry through with her plan. Mommy had ears like a moth. She could hear you _thinking_ about doing something you shouldn't do. But Skye could be very quiet. She'd seen Daisy be quiet and knew she could do it just the same. If she got caught she could just say she was hungry. She really didn't eat much dinner, just a couple nibbles on a piece of bread and two or three sips of soup before being sent back to bed. Of course that was after she said she didn't feel well enough to eat. Mommy probably thought the threat of getting sent to her room would work, but Skye had a plan even then because was tired of resting, tired of laying on the couch and spending hours in bed just staring at that dumb ceiling. She wondered if Daisy's mother was making her stay in bed or if her Dr. Simmons was jabbing her with butt shots.

They were the _good_ thoughts. Skye tried to hold on to those good thoughts because the others were terrifying. She pushed away the thoughts of Daisy being captured by whatever bad guys with all those guns that were after her and her family. Skye had seen them in the subway and heard how angry they were. If that giant and the fast lady hadn't come to save her they probably would have shot her…shot a little kid. Only then she wasn't a little kid. She was big. She _was_ Daisy and those bad guys wanted to get her really bad.

Daisy wasn't bad. She was good. Skye knew it, she felt it because she knew she was good and no matter what she would never turn into a bad person. Skye knew Daisy loved her May-mommy just as much as she loved her own mother and that was a lot. And Daddy…Skye loved her dad, she even loved Daisy's dad. They were more alike than the mommies and she couldn't help it. For a moment she thought about the other set of parents and yes she loved Daisy's mother too. She loved them both because they _were_ her parents. Skye knew how it felt to be so scared that she'd never see her parents again. She had felt that way only a few weeks ago and knew exactly how Daisy would feel if her mom and dad were hurt or…or killed and what if that person came back and blew up the rest of their home.

All those bad thoughts made her want to throw up…but mommy wouldn't believe that was why and she'd pull out her rotten thermometer and call Dr. Simmons and then there'd be more shots and…

Skye shook off the thoughts…good and bad. She just needed to talk to Daisy just to know she was okay, that everyone was okay. The only way to do that was to get back to her laptop and it was downstairs. She'd never seen that game before but somehow she just knew it was the way to make a connection. She wasn't even sure how she knew, but she did. It was like some weird memory or dream kinda thing, but she knew it was real and it was her only chance.

Skye put one foot on the floor and then the other. She stood frozen, listening for any indication that her mother had heard. She tiptoed across the room and listened at the door for a few seconds before putting her hand on the knob then listened again before turning it. Waiting a few more seconds, she slowly opened it just enough to slip into the hall and stood staring at the closed door at the opposite end. Once satisfied she hadn't been heard she turned toward the stairs and stood at the top. Skye knew the stairs would creak as soon as she stepped down and smiled at her only other option.

 _"What the hell? I'm already in trouble. Go for it."_ She told herself as she mounted the railing and slid silently to the bottom where she slipped off on the outer side and lowered herself to the floor without touching a step. Pulling down a fist in celebration she mouthed 'YES!' then quickly froze and once again listened. It occurred to her, standing there in her bare feet, that if mommy could hear so well she might just be able to do the same thing so she squeezed her eyes tight and listened as hard as she was able. Hopefully, it worked because all she heard was the weird buzzy sounds that the house made when it was quiet.

Skye nodded to herself, satisfied she was in the clear and headed for the little desk where her laptop waited. She stopped, realizing once she sat down her back would be to the hallway and the door. She wouldn't know if mommy or daddy or yeye walked up behind her, mostly because she'd be concentrating so hard on making that silly program work and trying to get an answer. She thought for a moment then picked up the laptop and moved to the living room. There was a perfect spot behind the big chair next to the fireplace. She could see the stairway from there and anyone that might come down the stairs, but at the same time the shadows of the mantle and draperies would keep her hidden. It was the perfect hiding place and she'd used it dozens of times. Of course she hadn't used a laptop those other times and surely the lighted screen would reflect against her face, so they'd see her right away.

Setting the laptop on the floor, Skye pulled the woolen blanket from the back of the sofa and draped it from the mantle to the back of the large wing backed chair. She flipped open the laptop and waiting for the screen to light then set it on the floor and tiptoed to the base of the stairs. She listened again but heard nothing that sounded like she'd been caught. The dark blanket hid the soft light of the screen just enough and she knew she could dull that light even more with just a few clicks. Satisfied that she'd be safe in her 'hideout' she hurried back and slipped behind the chair, grabbing a few pillows from the sofa as she passed.

By the time Skye had settled herself into a comfortable position the computer was up and running. She clicked the tab at the top of the page and there it was…an answer. Someone had found her message and answered. She would have screamed a loud 'YES!' if the situation was different, but settled for a simple smile and happy wriggle. It said Daisy was okay and she'd get the message, but Skye had no way of knowing how long ago the message was returned or who had returned it. She tapped the home keys lightly, considering her next move. A loud crack caused her to jump. She pulled the screen low and froze in place listening intently but heard nothing.

"Just the house," Skye whispered to herself. She peeked around her blanket fortress into the darkness. It was harder to see now that her eyes were more used to the soft light of her screen, but nothing seemed to be moving and she knew if someone was on the stairs they would creak and break the silence of the night. Pulling her head back she pushed the screen up and typed into the box on the screen.

CAN I SPEAK WITH DAISY?

IT IS IMPORTANT

The little girl leaned back against the pillows and waited for an answer. She wondered if it was the middle of the night where Daisy was and if anyone might be awake. Maybe the time was different there. She decided to ask when someone answered her. The large grandfather clock in the foyer bonged three times causing Skye to jump. 'Three o clock,' she thought. Mommy would be furious if she knew she was up and using her laptop so early in the morning…or late at night. It was hard to keep that straight because it was dark like night but really it was morning or maybe it was just almost morning but certainly not dawn. Skye shook off the silly thoughts and concentrated on the cursor blinking on the daisy covered screen before her.

HELLO SKYE

She watched as the letters appeared in the dialogue box and could barely contain her excitement. She started to type before the last letter of her name appeared only to find out she had to wait until the other party was finished before she could start.

DIASY?

Skye typed so quickly she misspelled the name and did not stop to make the correction.

NO SHE IS NOT HERE NOW

BUT SHE IS FINE

Skye frowned at the answer but was happy someone had heard her. She stopped considering the fact that some jerk could be teasing her and this wasn't a way to contact Daisy at all. Daddy had warned her about people trying to get information from kids on the internet and at school they learned about computer safety. She flicked the taskbar and found no indication that she was even connected to a web site or a browser. That in itself was really weird because how could she chat with anyone without some sort of connection. Was this some kind of game that just went along with you? That would be another question to ask as soon as she found Daisy.

WHO ARE YOU?

Skye typed. If someone was going to ask questions she would be the one doing it. She watched the cursor blink for much longer than it would take someone to type their name. It was taking too long and she felt defeat creeping up on her as a tear formed in one eye. She'd been fooled…been stupid enough to think this was some magical way to talk to her big friend. She wanted to slam the screen down and throw the laptop across the room but it would make too much noise and in all honesty she didn't really want to break it. She put one hand on the screen, resigned to close it and drag herself back to bed where she could cry into her pillow.

FITZ

The letters appeared all at once. Just one word…one name, but she knew who it was. It was the quiet man in the computer room where the beds were and where she and Daisy's parents went to sleep and woke up back in her house. It was the last place she was before she and Daisy got so sick and everything changed. Dr. Simmons liked Fitz and she trusted him. Skye never told anybody about Fitz…never said his name or talked about him…so there was no way anyone would know. There was no way anyone could pretend to be him. She quickly scrubbed away the unspent tears and typed back to him.

DR. SIMMONS FRIEND?

Skye waited again for answer. It seemed to take a long time and maybe, she thought, it was part of the program. Maybe her messages were taking just as long to get to him.

YES

She smiled at the reply eager to get more information about her friend…friends in…in…in that place where Daisy lived. Skye thought about what to ask.

IS IT NIGHT THERE?

That seemed like an okay question to ask. She waited, counting 'one one thousand…two one thousand…three…' until the answer appeared. It was twenty five seconds, almost half a minute.

IT IS MORNING

Skye smiled. It was morning here too, but really not real morning. She wondered if Fitz meant the same thing.

I THINK YOU ARE FAR AWAY

She typed back and exactly twenty two seconds later a reply appeared.

VERY FAR

Skye laughed a silent laugh. She didn't really know how she got back and forth to where Daisy lived or how Daisy got to her but she knew it was someplace far away. She liked talking to Fitz but really wanted to talk with Daisy. She tried again.

I NEED TO TALK TO DAISY

IS SHE STILL SICK ?

This time it took almost forty seconds for the answer to appear and Skye wondered what was taking so long. Maybe there was something Fitz didn't want to tell her. Sometimes when mommy or daddy didn't want to scare her or tell her something bad they would hesitate and she always knew it wouldn't be good. Skye braced herself for whatever Fitz would reply.

DAISY I S WELL

SHE IS WITH HER _

Skye watched the cursor blink and waited for the sentence to finish but nothing happened. She raised her fingers to ask why but froze when her blanket fortress was quickly pulled away. She looked up into the fiery eyes of her mother who stood above her holding the flimsy camouflage.

"What are you doing?" Melinda demanded, making no effort to lower her voice. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Skye's mouth hung open for a second before she snapped it shut and tapped the taskbar then slowly closed the small computer sending the room into total darkness. Darkness was great right this minute because she could not see the fury painted across her mother's face and hoped her mother did not see the guilt on hers. She pulled herself into the corner and squeezed her eyes shut. Nowhere in her arsenal of crazy excuses could she concoct a believable reason for being where she was or doing what she was doing.

Melinda stood over her child debating on whether to yank her out from her favorite hiding place just wait until Skye got the unspoken message and crawled out on her own. Melinda rarely slept soundly but after she and Phil had spoken and decided it would be more than a good idea to get away from everything they spent a few minutes enjoying each other's company and satisfying each other's needs before both fell into a deep slumber. When she woke she rose to check on their daughter and found the girl's bed empty. Of course the first place she checked was the bathroom and found that just as empty. Halfway down the stairs she heard the telltale sound of keyboard tapping and the soft blue light that shone from under the Queen Ann chair in the living room was a dead giveaway. Now she waited for her daughter to respond.

"I am waiting, Skye." Melinda folded her arms over her chest and tapped one foot on the carpeted floor.

Skye pushed herself up against the wall, leaving her laptop on the floor. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness and the lights from the street coming through the large picture window helped her to see the angry form of her mother blocking her exit. Melinda stepped aside and jerked her head just a fraction indicating the little girl should move. Skye complied, inching past her mother without turning her back. She stopped with her back against the chair and her mother a few inches in front of her.

"I will ask _one more time_. What are you doing up at this hour?" Melinda repeated softly, in a tone that was much more frightening than when she yelled. Skye really hated when her mother spoke through her teeth.

"I…I was…I…I," Skye stammered, searching desperately for some excuse that might save her. She looked up at her mother and found no sympathy, only a nonverbal command to continue. "I…I couldn't sleep and…and…and I thought…I mean…I wanted to…my laptop…maybe do….a…a…little…research…you know…kinda…like before…sch…" Even Skye could hear the ridiculousness of that.

"You are down here in the middle of the night with that laptop? Skye, you were just sick for how long? You know the rules about that and you're down here now? What were you doing?" Melinda demanded.

"I…I was just…just playing a game…" Skye kinda lied but not really…the truth was in there somewhere…maybe. It was a game, just a little game that let her contact that other place. She didn't know how it worked but it did. Mommy didn't need to know that part. That was her secret but it was a good secret, a secret that didn't hurt anybody.

"Playing a game? At three thirty in the morning?" Melinda's voice was getting a little louder. "One week, Skye, one week without that damn thing, do you understand me?"

Skye felt like all of the air was let out of her. Her knees felt wobbly and she wanted to fall right down on the floor. She took a quick shocked breath before grabbing her mother's wrist and pleading. "No, mommy, no please. I'll do _anything_. Please don't take my laptop away, please." Skye couldn't keep the tears from her plea. Mommy couldn't take the laptop. If Daisy didn't come back it was her only hope. She dropped her hands to her sides and clenched her fists as she shifted her weight from foot to foot. "I need it, mommy. I really need it. Punish me different…please, mommy. I'll stay in my room for a week. I won't watch any TV. I'll go to bed right after supper. Please, mommy." She stopped and looked into her mother's glare then carefully considered and reconsidered her next plea but she was desperate. "You can spank me, right here, right now."

"Enough," Melinda stopped the child's pleas as well as her bouncing. "I said one week, Skye. Would you like to make it two?"

"Mommy, please you can't!" Skye's plea turned into a demand. "I won't let you! It's mine and I need it! You're not taking it, you're just not!"

For a moment Melinda was astonished at her child's defiance. "I beg your pardon?" She asked slowly, giving the girl a subtle warning as she dropped her arms and took a small step forward.

Skye stomped one foot and spoke back through her tears. "I said no, you're not taking my computer away." She reached behind herself and dug her nails into the upholstery of the chair's arm, determined to stand her ground.

Melinda drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. She stared at the floor for a second before looking her child in the eye. Raising one hand she pointed toward the stairs. "You go to your room and get back into bed, right now Skye. This discussion is over. We will continue, at length, in the morning." She spoke calmly and evenly, letting her daughter know there was no debating the issue.

Skye stared back. She thought about Daisy and what she might do. Daisy took a lot of risks but she was brave and not afraid of the consequences. She knew she was going to _be_ Daisy someday and well, maybe it was time she started. She wondered if Daisy ever told her mother 'no' and if so, what might have happened. But Daisy was a grown up and her May-mommy couldn't punish her…well, not like the mommy that stood in front of Skye, right now, could. Skye was determined. She wasn't backing down. It was too late anyway. She was going to be punished no matter what she did now.

Skye looked at her mother and took a breath of her own, then let it out in one word. "No." She replied just as evenly and calmly as her mother had spoken and stood her ground.

Melinda was finished. This was it, the veritable straw that broke some desert animal's spine. She had more than her fill of whatever had gotten into her child in the last month. Skye was testing, pushing the limit and as far as Melinda was concerned she had gone well past it. She took several cleansing breaths before turning and walking away into the darkness of the living room.

Skye watched her disappear into the shadows and let out the breath she was holding. She had truly expected a much different reaction. Listening to the soft rustle of her mother in the distance Skye slipped back behind the chair and picked up her laptop. She stepped back and debated where to put it. She could probably be up the stairs before her mother returned but no matter where she stashed her treasured electronic her mother would find it. Anyway that would only make things worse. In the end, she knew she'd probably never see it again. How dopey could she be? Desperate times certainly make desperate things happen but they also make you really stupid.

Before Skye could make any other move, Melinda was back. She held out one hand and nodded toward the laptop. Skye shook her head and held on tightly but Melinda easily took it from her and set it down gently on the seat of the chair. Taking Skye's wrist she led her to the kitchen, sat on the first chair available and without a word pulled her insubordinate child over her knees.

Skye lay in bed crying into her pillow. Mommy had held her hand all the way to her room and tucked her back into bed. She kissed her on both cheeks and told her she loved her very much. She also told her she'd spend all day in her room and probably wouldn't see her laptop for a very long time. Now she lay on her tummy crying bitterly. Sure she'd had her share of spankings and yeah, she deserved everyone one but this time…wow, mommy had never, ever spanked her like that. What was she thinking doing such a stupid thing? And she lost her laptop anyway.

' _Dumb move, kid_ ,'

Daisy's voice came from everywhere.

xx

"Simmons!" Daisy demanded as she slammed her hand down on the desk in the lab and glared at Jemma who had been looking through one of salvaged microscopes.

"Daisy," she smiled calmly, ignoring her friend's bellowing entrance. "Right on time, I was certain I'd be searching for you for hours." Jemma stood and walked around Daisy toward the med lab at the opposite end of the room.

Daisy let out a frustrated huff and followed. "I'm talking to you Jemma, don't just walk away." She growled.

"Technically you're shouting at me, but I'm fairly used to that by now." She replied as she drew a hypodermic syringe from a silver tray on the counter. "This should only take a few minutes and then you will be completely finished with all of the boosters after that nasty episode." The doctor smiled as she tore open a small alcohol wipe and dropped a pair of rubber gloves next to the instrument. "Shall we?" She raised her eyebrows as she held a hand out toward the table before her.

"You're not even listening. I am trying to have a conversation here." Daisy complained as she stomped toward the table. "I need to know what's going on with Coulson and why you can't do anything for him?"

"Would you like to lie down?" Jemma smiled as she pulled on the gloves.

Daisy narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips as she turned away from the young doctor and let her jeans drop just enough to give Simmons a target. "You really enjoy this don't you?" She grumbled under her breath as she bent and rested on her elbows.

"I enjoy seeing you healthy." Jemma smirked as she rubbed a small area with the alcohol wipe. "I also enjoy seeing Coulson healthy and I cannot do anything more for him…medically."

Daisy looked over her shoulder and watched as Jemma squirted a spritz of liquid from the gargantuan needle she held in both hands. She turned away and closed her eyes. "What do you mean 'medically'? What's wrong with him?"

"I don't think the question is what's wrong with him at all." Jemma replied matter-of-factly.

"If there's nothing wrong wi….DAMN IT, JEMMA! YOU COULD AT LEAST GIVE ME A WARNING!" Daisy squealed as the doctor pressed the injection into its target.

"And have to deal with you hemming and hawing for five minutes because you're not ready?" Jemma almost laughed. "Just be still for a few minutes and this will be all over."

"Yeah," Daisy spoke through her teeth as she squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists. "Until the next time," she spoke in a forced voice and drew a deep breath exhaling loudly when Jemma withdrew the hypodermic and rubbed the site with another alcohol swab.

"Would you like a bandaid?" She smiled as she shook a box of fluorescent colored patches. Daisy merely sneered as she hiked up her jeans and folded her arms over her chest.

"Tell me about Coulson," she said slowly. "Why aren't you keeping him here? Did you let him go or did he just walk off on his own?"

Jemma shook her head. "Neither, actually. The director doesn't need to be here at all. Like I said there is no medical or physical reason for his headaches. I can continue to give him pain killers but that could lead to more serious issues. He needs to face facts before he can even hope to relieve the pain he is mostly bringing on himself."

Daisy wrinkled her whole face in confusion. "What…the hell are you talking about?"

Jemma had walked from the med lab room and headed back to her station with Daisy close behind. She lifted the large book she had used earlier and dropped it on the one desk in the room. She flipped the book open to the first marker and smiled at her younger friend. "We have a lot to talk about and then you and I and hopefully, Fitz have a lot of work to do."

Daisy wrinkled her face a second time and stepped closer to the large text book.

xx

Fitz held his fingers over the keyboard. He wasn't quite sure what to type. Daisy was with her parents?…her bosses?…her friends? He couldn't decide and didn't really know how much the kid knew or needed to know. He hadn't been paying a lot of attention to what went on with her while she was 'visiting'. His mission during that time was just to get her back where she belonged and bring Daisy back at the same time. He was determined at that time to just crash the whole system as soon as he made things right. He did not want to get to know her or be a part of whatever everyone else was falling in love with. It was temporary and eventually it would be gone for good. That was the plan. Give the 'family' a few memories…fake memories that would feel real then dump the whole thing. But then there was Skye, little Skye and her innate ability to worm her way into everyone's heart.

Fitz leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Again it was all his fault. He'd designed the little avatar using all the memories he had of the kid Coulson pulled out of a van in some back alley in LA. Fitz smiled remembering the day she dragged all of her worldly belongings onto the Bus and how he was smitten immediately. He almost blushed at the way he showed her the bunk…the last bunk…next to his. He remembered the silliness of their pranks and practical jokes, of game nights and junk food. They were all so innocent then, but she…she was more innocent than they were and deserved none of the horrifying experiences that befell her. So he designed a Skye that would have a happy childhood with two loving parents. A Skye that would grow up in a regular house on a regular street and go to a regular school and do all kinds of regular kid stuff. A Skye that wouldn't cry herself to sleep or wonder why she was left on a doorstep or had the world pulled out from under her time after time. Skye deserved a little happiness…no she deserved a lot.

So now the question…what was he going to do…how would this fiasco end and who would be hurt again because of him?

He turned back to the laptop and noticed the connection had been switched off. Fitz ran a hand through his hair and breathed a sigh of relief. The kid had said it was night there, probably had been sent off to bed. He closed the laptop and debated on how to tell Daisy about this new development.

"I don't know," Jemma said as she entered the room. "Do you really think it will work? I mean it isn't even real."

"You know as well as I do, it's real enough." Daisy smiled as she followed Simmons.

"Are you sure you feel well enough to do this again?" Jemma sounded more like a doctor than she had a few seconds ago.

"Jemma, I'm fine…one hundred percent." Daisy flicked a finger at a table full of pens and paper shimmering it until the pens rolled to the floor and the paper drifted behind.

"I hope you are going to clean that up," Fitz sighed.

Daisy laughed a small laugh and bent to retrieve the items.

"Enough parlor tricks, Daisy." Jemma shook her head. "I am serious. It might not be wise for you to return so soon after being so ill. We aren't even sure if what ever infected you isn't part of this program."

"Don't be such a worry wart, Simmons," Daisy scoffed as she hopped up onto her usual gurney immediately grimacing at the dull throb in her back side. She squirmed a bit then laid back and clasped her hands across her midsection. "Come on, hook me up just like we planned."

"What are you two doing?" Fitz demanded as he stepped toward the gurney.

Daisy propped herself up on one elbow. "It's simple Fitz and all part of the plan. You send me in. Give me an hour or so to get situated and then you tell Coulson and May I've taken it upon myself to visit the _'family'_." She wriggled her eyebrows a few times. "Then you send them in after me and I'll take care of the rest."

"Have you lost your mind?" Fitz asked quickly then turned to Jemma. "Has she lost her mind? Have you both lost your minds? Are you aware of this? What are you…"

"Shhh," Jemma shushed him. "We talked about this Fitz. It's up to us to get Coulson to…to release his feelings toward May and thereby provide a self cure for those dreadful headaches."

"That was all speculation." Fitz reminded her. "You told me yourself it was only a theory."

"But it's the best theory we've got." Daisy quipped. "Anyway we've tried everything else." She lay back down and waited a second then lifted her head. "Come on, what are you waiting for?"

Fitz shook his head as Jemma placed the headset on Daisy and began attaching the leads that would help keep them aware of her vitals while she 'visited the other side'. He stepped to the computer and waited for the blip that would tell him Daisy was ready.

Simmons gripped Daisy's hand and gave it a soft squeeze. Daisy raised the opposite hand in a thumbs-up gesture as her eyes slowly closed.

She faded into the darkness of Skye's bedroom just as Melinda kissed the kid and told her she'd lost her computer indefinitely.

xx

"Daisy!" Skye squealed out loud, pushing herself off the bed and ignoring the reminder her backside gave her. She mad dashed across the short distance and threw herself into Daisy wrapping her arms around her waist and burying her face in her midsection. She looked up at her big self. "I missed you so much. I thought I'd never see you…"

"Skye!" Melinda threw open the door and stormed into the room. "What do I have to do to make you understand?"

The child spun around and stood in front of her adult-self, blinking at her mother who was having none of this.

Melinda pointed at the bed. "Get back in that bed and stay there. If I even think I hear you up again we will repeat exactly what happened in the kitchen. Is that what you need?"

Skye shook her head and covered her bottom with both hands but stood in place.

"Now, Skye," Melinda growled.

Daisy gave the girl a soft shove and Skye dove back into bed quickly sliding under the covers and closing her eyes tightly. "Good night, mommy," she said softly. "I love you."

Melinda let out a soft breath and moved to the bed side. She brushed Skye's hair from her face and kissed her cheek, then her forehead. "I love you too, baobei. Go to sleep."

Skye nodded without opening her eyes, turned on her side and pulled herself into a tight ball. Melinda reached across the bed and brought Ling-a-ling close enough for the child to wrap the little dog in a tight hug. She kissed her daughter again then slipped out of the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

Skye waited until she heard the door at the end of the hall close then opened her eyes. Daisy was still there.

 _'I guess it's better if I think to you.'_ She smiled at her big self.

Daisy smiled as she sat on the edge of Skye's bed.

 _'I thought you were gone forever.'_ Skye frowned.

 _'Never,'_ Daisy thought back. _'I'm yours for good kid. Can't get rid of me.'_

Skye started to laugh then pulled the blanket over her mouth. _'Can't get rid of yourself.'_

Daisy's brows went high as she shook her head. _'We were pretty sick, huh?'_ Her face looked more serious.

 _'It was scary.'_ Skye agreed. _'Dr. Simmons came and helped me. She helped you too?'_

 _'She's the bestest.'_ Daisy agreed.

Skye nodded her head and tried to hide a wide yawn. Daisy looked at the small clock on the nightstand. _'Maybe you should get some sleep. It's pretty late.'_

 _'Or early,'_ Skye proposed. _'When does it stop being late and start being early? It's really confusing, don't you think?'_ The little girl scrunched up her nose and Daisy saw herself in the child's expression.

 _'Stop stalling, kid. Don't forget I know all your tricks. Hell, I invented them.'_ Daisy laughed. _'Time is relevant. Didn't anyone ever tell you that?'_

 _'I got a shot today.'_ Skye said around another yawn.

 _'Yeah,'_ Daisy smiled at her little self trying to hold her eyes open and failing miserably. _'Me too.'_

 _'Dr. Simmons let me yell damn, real loud as many times as I wanted.'_ Skye pulled her little dog close and snuggled into her pillow.

Daisy smiled again. _'Yeah, me too, kid.'_ She watched as Skye's breath slowed and she relaxed into sleep and pulled the blankets up around her. She started to stand.

Skye grabbed her hand. _'You won't leave, will you?'_

Daisy eased her wrist free and laid the girl's hand back on the mattress. _'No way, kid. I'll be right here when you wake up.'_

Skye nodded her head and smiled as she finally let sleep overtake her.

xx

It was a little after nine when Skye opened her eyes. She rolled over and immediately knew she had not dreamt the events of last night or early morning or whenever it was. She looked around the room and felt an emptiness in the pit of her stomach. Maybe she hadn't dreamt her mother's wrath but Daisy was nowhere to be seen. The disappointment was devastating.

 _'Don't jump to conclusions,'_ Daisy's voice spoke from…from inside her head?

"Daisy?" Skye said out loud. "Where are you?" She slipped out from under the blankets and stood next to the bed looking in all directions, then fell to her knees and peered underneath.

 _'I don't have to hide, kid. They can't see me anyway.'_ Daisy laughed.

"Where are you?" Skye barked.

 _'Just checking on something,'_ Daisy answered standing right next to her little self.

"How did you do that?" Skye smiled rubbing both sides of her head. "You can go in my head? How do you fit? Can I do it too? Could you see what I'm thinking?"

 _'Slow down and shhhh, before your parents think you're losing it.'_ Daisy warned.

"They can't hear me from all the way downstairs." Skye shook her head. "So tell me, how'd you do it?"

 _'Not important,'_ Daisy replied. _'But I have to ask you a big favor. I need your help.'_

"You need _my_ help?" Skye poked her own chest.

Daisy nodded. _'I need you to let me take charge for a couple hours.'_

"Why?" Skye narrowed her eyes. "You're not gonna get me in trouble again are you?"

Daisy snorted. _'I think you do that well enough all on your own.'_

Skye shrugged her shoulders. "Are we going to your…your house?"

Daisy shook her head. _'That hasn't worked out too well for either of us. No, I need to…to encourage my parents and I need to start here.'_

"I hope you can do it from my room cuz I am totally grounded today." Skye sighed.

Daisy rolled her eyes and thought for a moment. _'They have to let you eat and use the bathroom and I don't think either of your parents would just ignore you all day long.'_ She thought about Coulson and May making their way into this world when they found out she once again entered the Fitzwork on her own. It wouldn't be pretty but it would get them there.

"I suppose," Skye agreed. Anyway she wouldn't be spending the day in her room then would she. She'd be off in that…well wherever it was she and Daisy went when they weren't really anywhere. She could see and hear what Daisy was doing anyway, so it might be fun. "Okay," Skye agreed and closed her eyes for the moment it took to let go of her little self and let Daisy be in control.

"Damn!" Daisy groaned as soon as she slipped into her little self. "What the hell?" She massaged her bottom with both hands. "What the hell did you do, kid? I'm gonna have to eat breakfast standing up!"

 _'Oh, that,'_ Skye giggled as she admired her big self body, another perk to letting Daisy take control. She got to use Daisy's body. _'I kinda told mommy she couldn't do something…then I told her no a couple times. She got a little mad.'_

"A little?" Daisy squeaked. "I don't know what you did or said, kid, but I would advise not doing or saying it again anytime soon and remind me NEVER to pull such a stupid stunt."

Skye giggled again. _'Well, if I knew you were coming it never would have happened.'_

"So it's _my_ fault?" Daisy sucked in a quick breath and massaged the throb behind her.

 _'I guess it was kinda.'_ Skye shrugged then remembered mommy's warning about the long discussion they were going to have. _'I…ah, I think I should warn you that there's gonna be a lot of talk about it, probably as soon as you have breakfast so don't get me in anymore trouble, okay?'_

"Damn it, kid, I don't think I could get you in anymore trouble. Geez, makes me glad May wasn't around when I was your age." Daisy scowled as she slipped her feet into Skye's slippers and pulled on her robe.

Skye didn't giggle. She felt sorry for her big self not having her May-mommy when she was little. _'She would have loved you a real lot, Daisy, even if she punished you cuz you were being a real brat. She would still love you.'_

Daisy stopped with her hand on the doorknob. Somewhere inside she knew Skye was right. She felt the love Melinda had for this little girl and finally understood that just as she was Skye…Melinda and May were also the same person. She was counting on that.

 _'And Daisy?'_ Skye stopped her for a moment _. 'Don't say hell or damn. It isn't healthy for us.'_

xx

Daisy stepped into the kitchen quietly and slipped into her chair with a quick grimace.

"Good morning, angel," Phil smiled over the top of the newspaper he was reading. Melinda let out a soft huff as she sipped her tea and glared at the girl for a second. Daisy gave a weak smile.

"Morning, daddy," she smiled back at her father. "Good morning, mommy."

Phil folded the paper and laid it on the table. "How about some French toast?" He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Daisy looked to Melinda who gave a curt nod then back to Phil and nodded her own affirmation. "Thank you, daddy," she mumbled as he stood and started for the refrigerator.

"I hear there was a little trouble during the night." Phil remarked as he cracked an egg into the bowl he had set on the counter.

Daisy shrugged her shoulders. "I guess." She offered without raising her head.

"Your mom filled me in on your little escapade. Not a very smart move on your part." Phil shook his head as he plopped a piece of thick bread into the egg mixture.

"I'm really sorry." Daisy offered, not really sure what she was apologizing for but from the heat in her seat she knew it must have been a doozy.

"We are never, ever going to have another incident like that again. Are we, Skye?" Melinda raised one eyebrow.

Daisy shook her head, still wondering what the hell the kid had done.

Phil set two slices of French Toast in front of the girl and handed her a small bottle of maple syrup. Daisy took it and squeezed it onto the warm bread. "Thank you, daddy." She said softly.

The man sat back down in his seat and folded his hands in front of him. "What ever possessed you to speak to your mother the way you did, Skye?"

Daisy swallowed the bit she was chewing. She wasn't sure what the girl had said but it must have been something insane. She shrugged her shoulders and put down her fork, folding her hands in her lap.

"Skye?" Phil prodded. "We're waiting."

Waiting? Daisy thought. I don't even know what I…she said or why. Now would be a good time to just jump in here kid and help me out. She thought to her little self and waited for some sort of sign that did not come.

"I…I guess I just lost it my mind for a couple minutes." She offered.

Melinda looked at Phil and he immediately knew what she was thinking. No their little girl did not have a mental problem she was just angry and desperate to keep her laptop. So yeah, he believed she lost it for a minute or two.

"It isn't going to happen again, is it Skye?" Phil asked calmly.

Daisy shook her head.

"She will be thinking very hard about it for a few days." Melinda added. "I do not enjoy punishing you Skye. It breaks my heart." She paused and took a deep breath, looking away from her child for a moment then turning back. "I never want to have to do that again, but I will not hesitate to correct your behavior if I have to, do you understand me."

Daisy nodded quickly then realized Melinda, exactly like May, would not accept that answer. "I understand."

"The laptop is going to my office for a few weeks and you will spend the day in your room, except for lunch and dinner of course." Melinda reminded her.

Daisy started to nod then repeated. "I understand. I am sorry, mom…mee…mommy. I'm sorry for everything I said and did."

Melinda sipped her tea and nodded. "Finish your breakfast, Skye"

Daisy didn't really understand why, but a tear slipped over her cheek. She brushed it away quickly, but it was followed by a second and a third and more than she could wipe away fast enough. "I really am sorry for all of it." She sniffed and wiped both eyes with her sleeve.

"Come here, baobei," Melinda sighed as she pushed her chair back from the table and opened her arms.

Daisy was out of her chair and in those arms in an instant, sobbing on this mother's shoulder for something she wasn't even sure she did. Melinda kissed the back of her child's head and held her close, rocking from side to side. "I forgive you, baobei and I love you so very much." For several minutes mother and child held each other and forgave each other. When Melinda stood her little girl in front of her she pulled a Kleenex from her pocket and wiped the girl's eyes. She kissed her cheek and smiled a sad smile. "Sit down and finish your breakfast. Your punishment stands, Skye. I won't change my mind."

Daisy nodded as she slid back on to her chair. Phil smiled as he placed two fresh pieces of toast in front of her and again handed her the syrup. He took the first batch and finished it himself.

Once again Daisy poured the syrup over her toast then cut a small piece and popped it in her mouth. Even in this world Coulson…or Phil…or daddy made the best French Toast. She chewed slowly. She'd draw out this breakfast as long as she could, hopefully when May and Coulson arrived she could wrangle a parole or even a pardon. Hell, May would be just as much in the dark as she was. She hoped.

"Mommy?" she asked quietly as she pushed the pieces of bread around on her plate. Melinda looked up and waited for the child to continue. "How do you know you love daddy?"

Phil swallowed his own piece of toast and smiled at his wife, waiting for her answer.

Melinda set her tea cup down and eyed Phil before turning to Skye. "That's a little difficult to explain, Skye. I just know."

"But how do you know?" Daisy pried. "Do you love him because he loves you back or did he love you first and then you loved him back?"

Phil and Melinda looked at each other. Neither knew how to respond to this question.

"Did you tell mommy you loved her so she would know?" Daisy directed her question toward Phil. "Did you tell her right away?"

Phil smiled at his little girl and her attempt to stall her confinement. "I met your mommy the second day of college when I was about nineteen." He smiled at Melinda. "They made us partners in a self defense class. She wiped the floor with me."

Daisy smiled at him. "Really, mommy fought you."

"It wasn't a real fight, Skye. We were practicing and well, daddy wasn't very good." Melinda smiled.

"I let her win." Phil whispered to his daughter with a wink.

"And then you fell in love?" Daisy asked.

"Not quite," Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Well, not really," Phil agreed then closed his eyes and leaned back for a moment before he stopped and smiled at the little girl.

Daisy smiled to herself knowing that Coulson had just arrived. If all went well May would follow shortly and her plan was already in motion.

"So you didn't fall in love after she beat you at self defense." Daisy prodded, knocking him back on course. She knew he would slowly remember the conversation and neither he nor May would be sure if she was big or little her.

"Ah, no…no we…we ah…" He stumbled over his words.

"We hated each other," Melinda laughed. "Didn't even speak to each other unless we had to and every time we had that self defense class."

"So how did you stop hating each other?" Daisy pressed.

Phil smiled. "It wasn't really hate. It was more like we just couldn't find anything we liked about each other, but we kept ending up in the same places like the library and the cafeteria and then we got paired up for some case work so we saw a lot of one another."

Melinda's cup slipped from her hand and dropped the fraction of an inch to the saucer as she shook her head once. May was with them and unlike either Daisy or Phil immediately knew everything she needed to know to join the action or the conversation. She rubbed her temple once and stared down at the little girl who sat across from her. Daisy looked away quickly.

"Then what?" the little girl begged her father to continue.

"Well, I guess we started giving each other a hard time, lots of teasing and joking. You're mom had a lot of admirers…" he smiled.

"And your father spent a lot of time with his car," May added.

"Hey, I had my share of ladies," Coulson objected.

"Two or three at least," May teased and Coulson laughed as he brought his coffee to his lips.

"We had to take an elective to have enough credits to finish our first semester so we ended up in this ballroom dancing class and yep, you guessed it the teacher made us partners. We were pretty good." Phil smiled as he set down the cup.

"Your father loved it. Me? Not so much." Melinda admitted.

Daisy giggled imagining Coulson waltzing May around the floor. They must have been so cute.

"She teased me about it and I teased her back. We started stopping for something to eat after class and I'd walk her back to her dorm." Phil recalled.

"Like I needed his protection," May snorted.

"Maybe I needed yours," Phil laughed and May joined him.

"Then she dropped out and I was without a partner," Phil shook his head. "I tracked her down and asked her to come back but she had already enrolled in a martial arts class and flat out refused. I was devastated and had to finish the course with the instructor as my partner."

"She was a lovely woman." May reminded him.

"She was seventy years old." He reminded her with a raise of one eyebrow. May laughed a sputtery laugh.

"So what happened?" Daisy begged.

"Well, I missed her so much I started hanging out outside the gym where she had her class just so we could go to that greasy diner and I could walk her back." Phil smiled.

"And then you fell in love?" Daisy asked eager for the answer.

"Not quite," May shook her head as she stood and carried her cup to the sink. She returned and held out a hand to the little girl. "Let's go, Skye, you've asked enough questions."

Daisy let out a frustrated sigh and took her mother's hand. She'd gotten a lot of information and lunch was just a few hours away. She'd get another chance.

May walked her little girl into her room and closed the door behind them. She turned and smiled at the child for a second before her demeanor changed.

"What the hell, kind of game are you playing, Daisy?" May barked causing the child to jump and step back in fear.

"Daisy?" Daisy repeated, hoping to hide her big self inside her little self.

"Don't play me," May leveled a finger at the girl and took a step toward her.

Daisy put up both hands in defense. "Okay, okay…you got me." She admitted as she backed into the side of the bed.

"Explain," May demanded in one word.

"I…I can't," Daisy shrugged.

"You can't? Can't? Or is it more like you won't?" May pressed as she stepped closer. "I have just about had it with this nonsense Daisy and I am very, very tempted to just take advantage of your little self, take you over my knee and show you exactly how fed up I am." She took another step.

Daisy's hands came up again. "No, no, May wait, no…you can't…you can't do that. Think about Skye. She's just a little kid and she had nothing to do with this and…and…"

May stopped and let out a frustrated breath. "And she got her ass blistered last night. Geez what was I thinking and she used that damn paddle? What is wrong with that woman? If I wasn't me I'd knock some sense into myself."

Daisy scrunched up one side of her face and realized how goofy she must sound when doing pretty much the same thing but yeah, Skye had already gotten punished and Daisy wasn't about to let it happen again. Anyway she promised the kid she wouldn't get her in trouble.

"I needed to get both of you here and I didn't think you'd just go along with it." Daisy explained.

"Damn right," May agreed.

"I'm trying to help Coulson with the headache thing, so just go with it, okay. Fitz will pull us out in about two hours so I don't have a lot of time. Please May, just go with this and I'll explain everything, please." Daisy begged.

May narrowed her eyes and let out a breath. "This better be good, Daisy or else."

"I promise." Daisy nodded.

May smiled as she turned toward the door. Daisy followed only to be stopped by May's hand on her chest as she reached the threshold. "Stop right there, little girl." May grinned down at her daughter's little self. "I believe you have been confined to quarters for the day."

Daisy rolled her eyes. "Come on, May." She laughed as she tried to push the woman's hand away but it remained where it was planted.

"Right here," May pointed to the room as she spun her child back into it. "In your room for the rest of the day."

Daisy let out a long breath and shook her head as she turned and stopped her mother just as she was about to close the door. "May?" The woman looked at the child. "Can you at least get her laptop back to her, please?"

May smiled. "I'll see what I can do."

She pulled the door closed as Daisy let herself fall back on the bed

…immediately regretting it.


	35. Chtr 35 I'm Afraid the I'm Not Sure Of

**Chapter 35**

 **I'm Afraid that I'm Not Sure Of**

Daisy paced back and forth across Skye's bedroom, nibbling on the edge of one thumb nail. She stopped at the window and peered out at the snow covered landscape. Several kids about Skye's age walked in the road pulling sleds or carrying those saucer kind of things. They teasingly pushed each other and tossed poorly made snowballs. One kid stopped and waved up at her. Daisy waved back although she doubted even Skye would know who it was. The kid was bundled so that only his…or her…eyes were the only thing that showed. She watched until the kids disappeared past the copse of pines at the edge of the property then let out a frustrated breath and let the curtain drop back across the window.

Slowly walking back across the room, Skye ran her finger across the spines of books on the book shelf that stood between the large daisies on the wall across from Skye's bed. Four Harry Potter books, A Series of Unfortunate Events, a couple joke books, all the usual kid books lined up in a neat row. Daisy smiled at her little self's taste in literature. She looked at the desk, the box of colored pencils, a few broken crayons, paper and a Lisa Frank notebook…the fuzzy kind. Yep, Skye was just a normal kid.

Daisy mused for a moment about her real ten year old self. By that time she'd been picked up for shoplifting twice, first time it was a Snicker's bar and that old bastard, Mr. Leonard, called the police while he wrenched her wrist so tightly it was bruised for a week. Nobody really cared. The policeman that came to the little drugstore snapped handcuffs on her and sat her in the back of his cruiser. He gave her what he thought was a good scare. 'Huh', she thought, the guy never met Sr. Daniel. The second time she pinched a bracelet from a secondhand store. It was just crummy costume jewelry, but the owner's sister was a cop and she just happened to be in the shop that day…watching the suspicious, grimy little girl who just seemed to touch everything. She didn't even really steal the dumb thing. She was trying on all the sparkly bangles and looking at all the other baubles that were glittering like diamonds to a kid that had pretty much nothing. So she forgot to take it off when she walked out the door. The officer had her by the collar before her foot hit the sidewalk then dragged her to the station and read her the riot act and threw her in a holding cell. Hell, she didn't want the bracelet that stupid thing and she would have just given it back. But that holier than thou policewoman looked at her like she was some good for nothing piece of…well, like she was worthless and little Mary Sue believed it. Daisy let out a breath as she rubbed her still smarting backside and remembered the walloping Sr. Daniel gave her after she picked her up and marched her back to St. Agnes.

By that time Daisy, or Mary Sue, had exhausted her fourth foster home, there'd be one more before they gave up on her all together. This time she decided she'd make it easy for everyone and with her over the top behavior was back at the orphanage in seventy two hours. It was a record, she was sure. Usually she spent two or three months, at least, but it always ended the same. Daisy shrugged her shoulders, it didn't matter now…it was a long time ago…over and done with before she knew the truth. All that bouncing around was to protect her from the monster that found her anyway and then ended up saving her from an even worse monster. She let out another fluttery breath and shook off the depressing memories they weren't helping anything and making her forced confinement even more difficult to bare. She grinned instead at a framed photo of Skye smiling between May and Coulson, probably on some fun family outing or vacation. She knew if she stood there and looked at the picture long enough somewhere in the entwined mind of her little self and her true self she'd remember when and where it was taken.

Instead, she looked at the small clock on the desk. Dear sweet lord, she'd only been suffering through this incarceration for twenty minutes… _twenty flipping minutes_. This was so much worse than all the times she was banished to the Cage, even when she put herself there. What the heck was the kid supposed to do for a whole day…alone in this room…with no phone…no internet…no social media. How the hell did kids survive back then? She walked to the bed and let herself fall face first into the mattress with her legs hanging limp over the edge and her stocking feet crumpled into the carpet. This was definitely some circle of kid hell.

For a few seconds she was tempted to send a thought to Skye, to call her back just to have someone to talk…er, think…to for the next few hours. Hours, yes hours because she just had breakfast twenty minutes ago and it was…was, dear god in heaven, hours until lunch. Maybe if she kept her nose smashed against the duvet the carbon dioxide or lack of fresh oxygen would cause her to pass out…she could just sleep the mindless hours away.

She'd convinced Fitz to let her stay until the six hour limit was reached for May and Coulson who'd followed her into the program a little more than two hours after she did. Damn, she'd cursed herself to this…this gawd awful punishment. What the hell was Skye thinking, anyway? Defying Melinda? Hell, mouthing off to May in any universe was a death wish! The kid needed her head examined. When she got back to her, they were going to have a very long discussion and despite the fact she'd probably feel it she might just kick the kid's ass. She breathed into the mattress and felt it grow hot with her exhale.

The stinging smack that fell across her bottom had her bolt upright in a split second. "What the hell?!" She squeaked as she rubbed both hands across the spot and glared at Phil who now stood a foot in front of her. She swallowed hard and shifted from foot to foot. "Heck…heck…what the heck?" She corrected herself and took a half step backward.

Skye's father…well actually Coulson _in_ Skye's father glared down at her with his fists planted on his hips. "I think you were right the first time." He barked in a tone she recognized immediately. She was pretty darn sure this was going to be that uncomfortable conversation the director had promised her a few years back. "What the hell were you thinking coming back here alone? Do you know the blood, sweat and tears May and I went through to get you out of here and then suffer through whatever the hell virus grabbed a hold of you in the process?"

Daisy stood staring up at the man, her mouth hanging open. "Coulson?" she whispered.

"Daisy, you've pulled some idiotic stunts over the years but this one…this one…" He pointed a finger at the floor then looked away and shook his head. "I have never condoned your mother's use of corporal punishment but right now…"

Before she could figure out if it were Coulson or Phil who disagreed with May or Melinda, he grabbed Daisy's wrist, sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her to his lap. He raised his hand above her backside and hesitated.

"No…no, Coulson, no please, don't…" Daisy squirmed valiantly and looked over her shoulder at him. "Think for a minute, think with Skye's dad's memory…her mother…she already…Coulson, you just can't." She squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself as his hand began to fall, but never made contact. She felt it thump against the mattress a second before he stood her in front of him and held her shoulders gently.

For a second he just looked into her eyes then spoke quietly in a voice that cut right through her heart. "Why, Daisy?"

Oh that was a million times worse that getting her ass paddled. She was in tears in a flash and had her arms around him a millisecond later letting out a relieved sigh as his arms surrounded her. They stayed that way for a few minutes before she sat next to him with her head on his shoulder.

"It was the only way I could get you both to come back here." She sniffed as she scrubbed the side of her hand under her nose.

Coulson pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and held it against her nose until she blew a few times. He folded it then wiped a lone tear and stuffed it back where it had been. He smiled and she smiled back, weakly. "I guess May really gave you something to remember." He almost laughed.

Daisy wrinkled her brow. "I could do without this memory." She mumbled. "And it was Melinda, not May." She thought for a second. "I think that's a good thing…May probably would have been a lot worse."

Coulson chuckled as he hugged her gently and gave a small nod, "serves you right for telling her no and defying her right to her face." He remarked as he raised one eyebrow in a silly May impression.

Daisy's brows went almost to her hairline as she poked her finger into her chest. "Me? I hope I'd never be that stupid, but I guess Skye-me was desperate. Anyway, mom was trying to take my laptop…er, I mean Skye's laptop. Damn, this is confusing." Daisy bounced one foot against the bed and explained then wondered how all of a sudden she had full recollection of last night's disaster. Apparently, Skye's memories were catching up to hers. Maybe the paddling had something to do with it, maybe she'd blocked that memory. She'd do her best to keep it that way. She looked down at her little kid hands and picked at the chewed thumbnail. "Do you think she'll forgive me?" She asked a little above a whisper.

Coulson pulled her closer and wrapped both arms around her. "She already has, angel." He kissed the top of her head and felt the rigidness leave her body in a relieved sigh. He held her for a moment then kissed her again. "So, you needed both of us here?" He felt her nod against his chest and waited for an explanation that didn't come. "For old time's sake?" He jested. Again the only response was the shaking of her head, so he waited. "I think you need to tell me what's going on Daisy." She shrugged her shoulders and he shook his head. "With words…" he warned.

Daisy shifted and looked up at him. "I wanted…n-needed to help." She offered realizing how young she now sounded.

"Help?" Coulson was clearly confused.

Daisy nodded again and continued. "Help…you know, with your headaches…help you…help you see how to fix them."

Coulson laughed but realized since he'd arrived in the program his head had been clear, without the slightest twinge of pain. "And my being here…or _our_ being here helps?"

"Well, yeah, both of you…" She looked back down at her fingers, not sure how to continue. "Cuz you're not afraid here," she whispered softly.

"Afraid?" Coulson bent down to look into her eyes. "What are we afraid of there and not here?" he was clearly confused.

"Each other," Daisy answered as if he should have known, looking deep into his eyes and hoping he'd see the sincerity there. "You guys are so afraid of each other out there and you won't tell May how much you care about her and she just pretends you're just friends and the whole thing is cracking your brain in half." Her voice started to take on a pleading tone. She blinked rapidly to contain the tears and once again dropped her gaze to her lap.

Coulson looked down at the little girl who housed his adult daughter's spirit. Now it was his turn to be speechless. She took a deep breath but did not look up at him. "Why would you think that, Daisy? Where did you g…," Coulson smiled to himself and dropped his head for a second. "Simmons," he muttered.

Daisy looked up at him. "Don't be mad at Jemma. This was my idea. She told me about the headache theory thing, but I came up with this." She stared at him for a beat. "I…I see you and May here and you're so…soooo different. You aren't afraid of each other here. You love each other and you're not afraid of it. You're not afraid to say it or show it. When you're here you just…just live it."

"Daisy, wait a minute…" Coulson stopped her. "May has nothing to do with…" he paused remembering how just standing in her presence relieved the pain, how touching her for a brief instant melted it completely, but… "This isn't…this is…we can't just…" he stammered over what he tried to say.

"Why not?" Daisy begged in that little girl voice, so full of innocence. "You _love_ each other, we all know it. Why can't you just tell her? You've loved her forever and you're afraid to just let her know. You don't have to be afraid she won't love you back. I think you know she does. I saw you in the library with that pseudo-May." She finished in almost a whisper.

It never occurred to Coulson that Daisy had been there long enough to witness his passionate kiss with May's LMD. Even now it left a sour taste in his mouth and turned his stomach, boring a twist of pain into his brain for a second before he shook it away. He couldn't bear to answer.

Daisy chewed her bottom lip. "I saw the look on your face when you realized it wasn't her. I saw the hurt…the disappointment." She hung her head and spoke softly, full of remorse. "And…and the horror when I quaked her." She waited for his admonishment then continued when he said nothing. "I saw the tears in your eyes when we put that May thing in the incinerator room. I knew you couldn't throw her in there and watch her burn even if it wasn't really her. I couldn't do it either. I…I love her, too." She spoke quickly. "I have for a long time…even if all this didn't happen, even if Simmons didn't get that report I'd still think she's the best mother I've ever had." She looked up at him and he down at her. He brushed away the tear that ran over her cheek. "I love you too, Coulson…AC. You've always been my dad. You deserve to be happy and so does May, just like you are here…just like _we_ are here." She took a deep breath and let it out. "If you can tell her you love her here, then you can tell her out there."

Coulson smiled at the girl he'd taken into his heart about three seconds after Ward slammed open that van door. A strange thought ran through his mind. His child's first word, 'whad'up?', such an odd thing to think, to remember. Yet he did, he remembered the very fist word she spoke to him. He pulled her closer and held her for a few minutes, just loving her, loving the little girl she could have been, the little girl she was and the young woman she'd become. "Okay, angel eyes, what's the plan?"

XX

May sat at the kitchen table nursing another cup of tea. She longed for access to a gym and found it insane that she and Coulson would share a home anywhere that did not have some sort of workout equipment. Right now she really could use a punching bag although she could not quite understand the source of her anger. Yeah, right now Daisy had her pretty pissed and if her Melinda self hadn't already warmed _her_ little girl's backside she would have definitely taken advantage of the situation and let her own have it. She was livid. What was Daisy thinking? What was she ever thinking? A few hours ago Simmons had given her the last booster and with it a clean bill of health and hopefully a warning. Not that Daisy would heed any warning. She stood and paced from the back door to the stove and then back. Was it possible she was this angry at that little girl… _young_ girl. Damn this place! It twisted your head around that concept then flung it out and back like a damn yo-yo. She paced back to the door and stood staring out at the snow covered deck and driveway beyond, fresh snow…at least six inches on top of what was already on the ground. She blinked at the brightness in the late morning sun and smiled at a memory she'd buried a long time ago.

She and Coulson had been full fledged agents for almost two years. He'd gone on to communications, she excelled in ops and then they'd been partnered on four consecutive missions. This one was simple but in the most gawd awful place on the face of the earth. They were in charge of cleaning up a situation in Oymyakon, Russia, the absolute coldest inhabited place on the planet. There had been reports of a gifted person with scientific knowledge far beyond the current level of technology. Rumors had spread that this person was creating weapons that would seriously shake the balance of power during the Cold War. She and Coulson along with four other agents were tasked with finding the guy and welcoming him into their fold before he was lured to the opposite camp. No one was stupid enough to believe that the opposition wasn't also in the process of convincing the guy to join their faction.

It was the middle of January and the temperature in that god forsaken place was forty below. According to the locals it was a heat wave. May shivered with the memory. The weathered man that served as their guide pointed out that the current snowfall had exceeded seventy inches. Of course that was on top of the one hundred forty inches still left from last year. She wondered if there was anyone alive that had ever seen the actual ground or if dirt even existed in the frozen tundra.

They'd split up the first day into teams of two, heading out in different directions. She and Phil found the guy's lab two brutally frigid days later, basically stumbling around in the wasteland. It wasn't much but it provided warmth and shelter and that was a blessing, however the guy was long gone. They'd called for an extraction team and hunkered down to wait only to experience one of the worst storms the region had seen in decades. It dumped almost three additional feet of snow on the ground in the first two hours. 'Nice,' Melinda thought, 'eighteen inches an hour, we'll be buried before morning. If we can even tell when that is.'

The sky never really brightened in Oymyakon. It went from dirty grey to black and back again, merely shades of gloom. She remembered how much she hated it. The weather kept the extraction away for days and obliterated any means of communication with the outside world. So they cranked up the generator and burned everything burnable in the barren building.

A lot of people believe that Hell is full of molten lava and eternal flames of damnation. Melinda May knew otherwise. There was no fire in Hell, it was an ice covered, grey skied colorless vacuum. But it was there in that circle of Hell that she realized the man who was her partner…the crazy, skinny white guy that drove her insane…Phil Coulson…caused a fire to burn inside her that made her oblivious to the blizzard that raged outside their flimsy refuge.

She wasn't sure what it was. Maybe all those corny jokes he told or the way he just found humor in even the worse of situations. He was such a geek with all his crazy collections and trading cards and that car that he talked about every chance he got but wouldn't let her near it. All the things that should have made her despise the guy just made him seem…endearing? She'd never used that word… _ever_ and here she was in the middle of a frozen no-man's land and it was all she could think about. It had to be the cold, she told herself. Her brain was as frozen as her fingers and toes.

By what she thought was midnight, but could have been midday, the snow was level with the bottom of the windows on the leeway side and over the roof on the windward. If it didn't stop it would cover the place probably suffocating them before they died of hypothermia. They'd tossed chairs, tables, books, and everything they could spare into the dwindling fire hoping it would last until they were found. Phil had taken the sleeping bags they carried and somehow zipped them together making one large sack that they both climbed into, sharing body heat. He'd wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close explaining that their proximity should help keep them warm. She wanted to pull away, but couldn't.

They watched the fire, listened to it crackling and huddled together…each lost in their own thoughts.

"Melinda," he started.

"Don't…" she warned not wanting him to say something that was probably just a result of their situation, something they'd both regret once they got out of this.

"Okay," he smiled. She couldn't see him, wouldn't look, but she knew he was smiling. "I'll just save it till you're ready."

She nodded and hoped he did not feel how fast her heart was beating and believed that her shiver was caused by the cold and not his warm body against hers.

The extraction team arrived the next morning and dug them out. She knew right then and there that she would never love anyone the way she loved Phil Coulson and to this day she'd never, _ever_ gave him the impression she was ready to hear whatever he was going to say. Up until now she hadn't wanted to take that step, to risk their friendship, to explain her years with Andrew were mostly to try to convince herself that she was not in love with Phil Coulson. Andrew knew…he always knew he was second string. The one she settled for because she wouldn't stand between Coulson and his dedication to the job, to the agency.

But now…right now…she'd do anything to turn back the clock and let him have his say only to tell him she felt exactly the same way…always did. She loved him now more than she thought possible but still felt as if their feelings were made of delicate crystal and just speaking them would shatter everything.

They needed to talk…they needed each other…they needed the truth before it was too late for any of it to matter.

XX

"That's it? That's the whole plan?" Phil smiled at the little girl who sat looking up at him with wide brown eyes.

"Uh huh, it's that simple. Don't you get it?" Her eyebrows rose higher with each word.

Phil shook his head, not because he didn't understand, but because he wasn't sure that was all there was to it. He looked back down at Daisy/Skye's frown and tapped her nose. Daisy blinked once then brushed his hand aside. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I know you're in there, Daisy." He laid a finger on her hairline and tapped lightly. "But I think you're being influenced by your little girl mind. These kinds of things are seldom easy and never simple. Just telling May how I feel and hoping she feels the same seems like wishful thinking."

Daisy rolled her eyes, threw herself back against the mattress and slapped both hands against her face. She let out a frustrated growl and kicked her stocking feet against the side of the bed rapidly.

Phil started for a moment unsure if his little girl's reaction was another feverish seizure or maybe just a wild temper tantrum. He stopped before he stood when she dropped her hands and feet suddenly and let out a long exasperated breath then looked up at him.

"But it doesn't have to be. Sometimes things can just be simple, so simple maybe you just can't see it and maybe Skye's little kid brain that is stuck in my head can do just that." She let out a fluttery breath over her lips and dropped her arms back to the mattress. She'd been elaborating her statement with both hands.

Phil thought for a moment as he stared down at the look of determination mixed with frustration on Daisy's Skye face. He wanted to laugh at the face where he could see Daisy in Skye's glare or Skye in Daisy's. While he loved making these memories of all he had lost…had chosen to forgo because of his dedication to SHIELD… _DAMN_ it was confusing! It sure as hell was not AIDA's Framework because there he only knew himself as a tenth grade History teacher and had no clue who Director/Agent Coulson was even after Daisy and Simmons convinced him of his true reality. Here he was himself but had all the memories of Phil Coulson, father of Skye Coulson. Skye Coulson, he really liked that. It fit perfectly. She fit perfectly into that little hollow in his heart…his life…his love. No wonder they never found the perfect spot for this terrific kid, they'd never given her to him.

"Coulson? Hey, Coulson?" Daisy tugged at the man's sleeve pulling him away from his reverie. He smiled at the girl who once again sat next to him. "Why can't it just be that simple…just this once?"

He took her hands in his own and let out a breath feeling very silly having to explain life and love to Daisy who seemed to have been around that block on more than one occasion. He didn't even want to think about what her experience might have been before he pulled her out of that van and the vision of finding her doing…well doing what comes naturally with that Miles jerk was one memory he could live without. But there she was staring up at him with those chestnut brown eyes, full of wonder and innocence as her ten year old self.

"Listen, angel," he started, ignoring her grimace and sideways mouth twist. "Lo…life is never simple and these kinds of things are pretty complicated. People can't just blurt out something and expect it will make everything better. In fact, most of the time it just makes it even more complicated and messes up something that was okay to begin with."

Daisy stared at him for a beat and blinked her eyes a few times before responding. "I'm _not_ a kid, Coulson…I just look like one right now." She tugged at his hands. "I'm still me in here and it sounds more like a cop out than an explanation. What the _hell_ are you so afraid of anyway?"

Phil let out a long breath and squeezed her hands once. "I just don't want to lose what I've already got." He answered just above a whisper, then yanked her closer. Bringing her nose to nose, he narrowed his brows. "And as long as you're in that little body, young lady, watch your language or I might just go all daddy figure on you." He looked at her wide eyes for a moment before kissing her forehead quickly and easing her back onto the mattress.

Daisy just looked at him for a beat, weighing the veracity of his threat. She was pretty sure Coulson, Daddy Coulson was more bark than bite but if he barked that bark at Mommy May…well that bite would be coming from a different direction and well, once bitten-twice shy. She wasn't taking any chances so she gave a quick nod and the most contrite look she could muster, _(which was great using this little kid face)_.

They sat in silence for a moment before Daisy dared to continue. "What do you think she's doing right now?" She looked up at him and went on before he could answer. "Down there," she nodded toward the door, "all alone, just thinking…thinking about…about…" The girl searched her mind for something goofy enough to make him feel even a tiny bit guilty. She smiled to herself and piped, "about meeting you for the first time and knowing that she loved you right off the bat."

Coulson cast her a 'what the heck?' look then chuckled to himself knowing what the kid was up to and refused to take the bait. "That, my dear little one, was definitely not how it happened." He shook his head.

"Tell me," she pleaded with puppy dog eyes as she rested her chin on the crook of his arm.

"Cute," he smiled down at her. "This worked for you?" He wagged finger at her.

Daisy shrugged her shoulders and gave a little inside out pout as she sunk her top teeth into her bottom lip and waited, just looking at him. He couldn't take it, not those eyes, not in that little face. Coulson looked away but could not stop seeing her like that. Damn, he would have spoiled her rotten if it hadn't been for May keeping both of them in line. Not that he didn't discipline when it was necessary, he was just a little more lenient than his counter part…sometimes.

He thought back through two lines of Coulson memories, at all the times she pushed him way past the edge and how he'd lost it with her only to regret it immediately when he saw her heart break long before she realized it was anger not rejection. That was all the girl knew before he took her under his wing and even now had a difficult time with the two. He'd done everything in his power to make sure little Skye always knew that difference.

He recalled only one daddy memory when she was about six or seven and he caught her playing with matches she had taken from the living room fireplace. He put out the fire quickly stomping the dry leaves and twigs before they ignited the woodsy area behind the house. She swallowed hard and blinked up at him in the bright autumn sunshine, holding the box of stick matches behind her back. He held out a hand, glaring down at her until she slipped the almost empty carton into it. He asked nothing but took her hand and led her back to the house. It was the only time he raised a hand to her then held her on his lap until she quieted and fell asleep on his chest. It was their secret, one they never shared with Melinda who would have certainly seen to it that their little girl was disciplined again and mommy's method would have been a bit more intense than his.

That little pout, that backward pout was the same look she'd given him that day…nope, it didn't work then, but now he was not so sure. Now he was outnumbered.

"Please, daddy, tell me what really happened." Daisy raised her eyebrows and cuddled closer, wrapping her arms around his.

Phil let out a breath and shook his head. "How do you know I won't tell you the program version and not the real thing?" He teased.

"Cuz, I know you wouldn't lie to me," she replied quickly.

There it was. She got him. Nope, he would not lie to her, not keep secrets or leave out bits and pieces she needed to know. It was an unspoken agreement between them and he would not break it. He looked down at her expectant gaze and extracted his arm from her grip, wrapping it around her as he took a deep breath.

"We had this mission in Russia and it was colder than anyplace I'd ever been to, even Wisconsin winters and they're pretty frigid. We ended up in this old bunker for a few days waiting to be extracted and well one thing led to another. Fuel was running low and we had to share a sleeping bag to keep each other warm."

Daisy giggled and wriggled her eyebrows at him.

"Hey, you're ten," he reminded her, "and we needed the added body heat."

He remembered the last night they spent trying to keep each other from freezing as the last of their burnable items turned to embers in the fireplace. He remembered a lot of things he had no intention of sharing with his ten year old daughter even though she was actually more than twice that age. He remembered Melinda trembling against him and feeling as though he would explode with the need to just tell her that she was so much more than a partner…a friend. She had snuggled against him in search of that heat.

"Well, I just figured you were close to keep each other warm. I've seen all those movies where the people get naked and keep each other from freezing." She replied innocently.

"That does very little to help keep warm, Daisy. Although it is comforting to know you aren't going to freeze to death alone." Coulson corrected her. The girl shrugged and got serious hoping he would continue. "And no one was naked," he added firmly.

"We took turns sleeping," he spoke to her face with a slight smile. "Drifting off could have been deadly. I wanted to tell her then, but I figured it was just the situation and that maybe I wasn't thinking straight. One of the signs of hypothermia is confusion."

"So…did you tell her?" Daisy wriggled closer and waited anxiously for the answer.

Coulson shook his head and the girl went limp with disappointment. "Why the he…heck not? You were right there, together, alone…it was perfect." She whined.

The man let out a huff and slapped a palm on his thigh. "I didn't tell her, Daisy because I didn't think she…"

"Felt the same?" The little girl helped.

He shook his head. "That might have been part of it. I didn't tell her but I was pretty sure it was real for me and if she did feel the same we could be risking everything we'd worked for up till then. The agency allowed for no fraternization among agents." He shook his head and looked away for a moment. "We might have had the same feelings but we would have ended up hating each other for it. If we admitted it one or both of us would be asked to leave, transferred to some other agency. We'd be free to be together but one of us would have lost everything and blamed the other eventually. The extraction team got us out in the morning and we didn't see each other again for almost a year. Apparently someone read more into our reports and debriefings than we thought."

"Maybe they just saw what everyone else sees," Daisy mumbled.

"You know when I was a kid my mom would always tell me that you are always exactly where you're supposed to be and that things happen the way they do for a reason. Sometimes that reason isn't very clear but eventually you can see the why of things." Coulson offered some fatherly sage-ism.

"Yeah, the nuns used to say something like that too," Daisy grimaced. "I'm pretty sure it was St. Teresa of Avila. They used to tell us to trust that you are exactly where you're supposed to be."

Coulson eyed her with an 'I'm impressed' look.

"Hey," she was insulted. "I _did_ listen…sometimes," she laughed. He squeezed her a little.

"I believe she also said 'truth suffers, but it never dies'." Coulson added.

Daisy raised one eyebrow and glared at him. "I thought you were Jewish." She sneered.

"I read," he smiled, "and my mother was Catholic." He winked at her. "I believe the Jewish saying goes something like, 'truth never dies, but lives a wretched life'.

"Sounds like paraphrasing to me," Daisy shrugged. "So now what, you just keep letting the truth suffer and turn into head bombs for you?"

"There is another truth, one that both of us…May and I…see everyday, here _and_ there. Proof positive of…" he stopped as the word stuck in his throat.

"Oh, come on Coulson! You can't even say it out loud." Daisy pushed against him and stood glaring into his face. "How are you going to tell her if you can't even say it to yourself?"

"I don't have to say it Daisy. I'm looking right at it." He smiled.

"What?" She scrunched her face in confused frustration.

"Those few days in Oymyakon…that's when I fell in love with Melinda May." He smiled at Daisy's eye roll. "Almost four years later I felt exactly the same…Paris was not an accident, kiddo. We were both fully aware of what we were doing."

"And then there was you…" May's voice came from the doorway and both Daisy and Coulson spun toward it, neither knowing how long she'd been there or how much she'd heard. She stepped into the room, crossed the floor and sat next to Phil on the edge of the bed. "Out there, where we live and exist we lost you and went out separate ways, trying to…to live with the pain, without each other's support. But here, here there's you and we saw everything that could have been. We never told each other how we felt because we'd have to deal with that as well and it was a memory we both pushed as far away as we could. And then there was you all over again."

"Me," Daisy whispered.

Melinda smiled. "You, baobei…the child we created, the child we lost, the child given back to us even after all this time. We love you more than you can ever imagine and we both know you have quite the imagination."

Daisy shook her head. "You need to love _each other_ like that…like this," she laid her hand on top of theirs joined on Phil's knee. "Like this, out there where it's real," she pointed toward the door and swallowed the crack in her voice. She quickly brushed away the tears that started to slip over her cheeks."

"Ó, bǎobèi, bùyào kū. Wǒmen jiāng yǒngyuǎn ài nǐ."¹ Melinda hushed her child as she brushed away the tears and pulled her into a tight hug. She looked over Daisy's head at Phil…at Coulson. If he wasn't going to take the leap then she'd do it for him, whether she pushed or pulled she intended to say what needed to be said for all their sakes.

Melinda squeezed her sobbing child again and reached for the Kleenex box, pulled two and used them to dab Daisy's face dry and have her blow her nose before crumbling the tissues and nodding toward the waste paper basket across the room. The girl took the hint and left her mother's embrace to do as she was told. When she turned back her parents were standing, hand in hand.

"Daddy and I have to talk for while, baobei and you are still to stay in your room. I told you before and I repeat, I will not change my mind. Last night's behavior was unacceptable and you're jaunt into the program on your own was no better. You and I will discuss that little maneuver, at length, when we return. Understood?"

Daisy swallowed hard and nodded without a word as she watched them exit the room and pull the door closed behind them. For what seemed like a frozen moment in time it was completely silent.

"Woooo Hoooo!" Skye's voice rang as she slid back into control and Daisy found herself back in her own image. "You are in big trouble! Your mommy is super mad at you and you are gonna get it!" The little girl rubbed both hands on her tender backside. "I'm glad you'll be on your side of the…the program? Is that what you call it, like a computer program? Wow! Did Fitz make it? Can he make me one?" She giggled as she bounced her big self.

"Don't be ridiculous," Daisy growled still staring at the closed door.

Skye looked in that direction for a second then back at her adult counterpart. "It's not ridiculous. He made that daisy flower program game thing that I can use to talk to him, and you I hope. Why can't he make me one to jump back and forth like you can?" Skye wrinkled her brow as she spoke.

Daisy looked at the girl and shook her head. She hadn't meant the program, she meant May doling out some kind of punishment on the other side. She wouldn't…that was nonsense. She was an adult. Sure May was livid about her going in alone…so was Coulson but…but…naw, that was just ridiculous.

"I don't think he can do that kid," she answered only half paying attention to the little girl who now stood staring up at her. "I think it only works from that side."

"Oh well, at least we can still chat with that program that does work and when I grow up, I'll just figure out how to make it work from this side." Skye announced as she pulled a stack of paper from her desk drawer and slapped it on top. "Maybe I'll make some pre lemon airy notes or drawings right now. Wanna help?" She looked over her shoulder at Daisy who closed her eyes and shook her head. Hopefully by that time they would be joined completely and she'd be in control as much as possible.

"Sure kid, what else do I have to do for the next…." She looked at the clock and cringed inside, "two hours."

XX

Melinda led Phil down the hall and into their bedroom letting go of his hand just long enough to close and lock the door. He was smiling as she turned and placed both hands on his chest pushing him slowly in reverse until he bumped the bed. She gave him a gentle shove. He sat down, looking up at her.

"Little early in the day for this, Mel." He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

She reached back and gently unclasped his hands then brought them around and dropped them in his lap. "Don't Mel, me Coulson," she smirked. "We both know exactly who we are and where we are so let's just get to it." She dropped down on the mattress next to him.

He looked at her in semi-shock.

"What? You thought…" she pointed to him and to herself and then back again with a quick glance at the bed behind them.

Coulson snapped his mouth shut and glanced just as quickly, feeling the flush on his cheeks. "No," he squeaked then cleared his throat. "N-no…I…I…just can't get past _you_ wanting to…t-talk."

"Funny," she dead panned then jumped right in. "Tell me what happened with robot me." She finished, folding her arms over her chest. "And don't leave out what happened to the Haig." She actually spoke through her teeth.

Phil took a quick breath and pulled himself together. This was it, the moment of truth, the truth that had survived everything. It was beaten and battered and yeah, it lived a wretched life but it was still there. All he…all the both of them needed to do was reach out and touch it.

"Spill it Coulson," May ordered, "or I will drag that little girl, that we both know is stuffed full of our Daisy, in here and let her tell it all and believe me she will do exactly as I say."

"She wasn't you, May." He breathed, stopping her tirade. He knew this May, his May well enough to see through her mask. She wasn't angry, she was terrified. He flexed his fingers and looked down at the plush carpeting in the Fitzworld Coulson bedroom. "She fooled us all for all that time, but she wasn't you and I didn't realize it until it was too late, almost too late to save you. We lost all that time because I thought…" He stopped and stared at the wall opposite the bed, unable to look her in the eye. She said nothing, just waited knowing he'd go on.

"I thought after all this time…that you felt the same as I did, that we finally were ready to take that step." He shook his head again but still refused to look at her. "You…she brought up the Haig. She knew what I said when I was in that damned ghost dimension, used my own words and I had no reason to think anything else. Daisy was back, Morrow was gone. Mace was…" He paused pushing the memory of the last director's sacrifice out of his mind. "I thought we'd have some time, pfft," he let out a fluttery laugh at himself. "We cracked that bottle…Robo-you and I…and toasted to being right where we needed to be." The irony of that statement was not lost on him as he thought of the discussion he had just had with little Skidaisy.

"Is that _all_ we did?" She accused snidely.

"What?" He looked at her finally, watching as her eyebrows rose to her hairline.

"No…yes, no all we did was finish off the bottle and go to bed…our own beds in our own rooms. The next day all hell broke loose…again." Coulson realized May had no memory of those events. She, the real May had not been there. He took a breath and went on. "That damn demon-bot AIDA got into the base and then into the systems, Mace and Daisy were trying to deal with Nadeer and there wasn't a minute to…" He remembered the time he and Not-May spent locked in that room…all part of AIDA's plan to get her hands on that damn book and he walked right into it. She told him then, suggested that maybe it was time to move forward. He was letting his feelings cloud his judgment the very reason no two agents should ever, under any circumstances let themselves become more than partners. This was more his mess than anyone else's.

"So, business as usual…" May remarked as she waited for him to continue.

"Right," he agreed. "We found out about Mace and his super-soldier serum and then the Koenigs were in trouble. It was all about that damn book. We should have dumped it in the Mariana Trench encased in about two tons of osmium and ended the whole nightmare."

"That's when he got it?" May asked only for clarification.

Coulson nodded. "FitzSimmons discovered the Radcliffe at the base was another LMD, from that they also figured out that…" He looked at her unsure how to put it into words.

"That May was not who you thought." She finished for him.

"Yeah, but not before," he looked away then shook off the inhibition. "Before I kissed it, May, before I made a move and kissed that thing that was not you and as soon as I did, I knew. I knew it wasn't you."

May didn't react, well at least not the way he thought she would if he could even imagine what that might be. She just sat there staring at him as if she hadn't even heard.

"May? May, did you hear what I said. I kissed it. I fell for all the little looks and touches and innuendos because…because it was something I wanted to be true."

"You told me Radcliffe had a way to put memories and feelings from the real person into the LMD, right?" She asked calmly.

Coulson nodded. "If it shot me right then and there…but Daisy…Daisy took care of it and…" He looked down as her hand covered his then looked up at her smiling back.

"It could only have said and done what I believed Phil. It was using my feelings, my thoughts without the real me shutting them down."

His mouth formed a small 'o' as he turned his hand to take hers in his palm. He stared at it there almost laughing at the power in the delicate features that seemed swallowed in his own larger hand. She leaned closer filling in the space between them

"Maybe it's time you tried the real thing," she breathed close to his ear, sending a shiver through him that Robot May never did.

"You do realize neither of us are the real thing, right?" He breathed as he bent to meet her.

"Real enough," she smiled and her breath fell soft on his cheek. She kissed him so lightly he thought maybe he imagined it until she did it again a hair closer to his lips.

Phil slipped his hand behind her head, gently cradling her neck and bringing her to him. He kissed her deeply and she returned the favor. This was real. This was May, his May, his Melinda, his love in both worlds. They took a breath, her forehead resting on the bridge of his nose then kissed a second time even more passionately than the first as he pulled her back and down onto the mattress. She broke contact and relaxed on his shoulder, listening to his quickening heartbeat.

"I wonder," he said breathlessly, "what happens when Fitz pulls us out?"

"Our bodies," she kissed his neck and felt the quiver go through him, "are fully," another kiss as she began unbuttoning his shirt, "clothed."

"Daisy and Skye are right down the hall." He reminded her in a shaky voice as she slid her hand inside his shirt and around his middle as she tugged it from his waist.

May laughed deep in her throat as she moved onto his chest and held her face a breath from his. "We're spies, Phil, we know how to do things quietly." She kissed him again and felt the smile as he rolled her to her side and then under him.

"I love you Melinda May and I have for as long as I can remember." He kissed her jaw, her ear, the hollow of her neck.

"Since Oymyakon," she corrected as he slipped the belt on her robe open and ran his hand against her soft skin. It was her turn to shiver. "I've loved you just as long." She breathed as he slid off his remaining garments and took her in his arms.

XX

Coulson jolted upright as he regained consciousness, startling Simmons as well as Fitz. He glared at them and patted his chest twice before looking down at himself and breathing a sigh of relief as well as disappointment. May blinked twice before opening her own eyes and turning her head to smile at him. She had no need to check, knowing what she would wake to in this reality. She removed the head gear and sat up for a moment before dropping to the floor and walking the short distance to him.

Simmons was doing her usual check of his vitals, flashing that little light in his eyes and pressing on the back of his neck. "No pain at all, sir." She asked for the third time.

"None," he smiled at the young doctor. "I am pain free."

The doctor turned toward May who held up one hand in an 'I am fine' gesture. Simmons gave a curt nod and looked to Daisy who remained blissfully unaware of what was transpiring. The young doctor looked up at the readouts, satisfied that all were normal. She looked to Fitz who tapped a few keys and waited a moment before repeating the action. Coulson and May stepped next to the gurney.

"Why isn't she waking?" May asked, unable to hide the concern in her voice.

"Just give me a few…seconds," Fitz breathed as he tapped another series of keys and the young girl started to stir. He gave Simmons a relieved nod and let out the breath he'd been holding.

She opened her eyes slowly and blinked at the three faces staring down at her. Simmons pulled off the head gear and placed a hand on Daisy's shoulder as she started to rise. "Stay right where you are," she warned in her doctor-no-nonsense voice. Daisy considered ignoring the order until she spotted May with her arms crossed over her chest glaring at her. She swallowed hard and nodded toward the doctor who checked and rechecked every vital before allow the girl to finally sit up.

Daisy threw her legs over the side of the small mattress and smiled at her parents. She could tell just by looking that something had happened. Coulson didn't have that pained look and May had a look she'd never seen on her before. She reached out and gently nudged Coulson's shoulder.

"Hey," Daisy smiled broadly, "you guys are looking great. Seems like all is well."

"Not quite," May spat, punctuating the final sound of each word. "We have a lot to talk about." She narrowed her eyes at the girl.

"Well, don't let us stop you," Daisy grinned and looked to Simmons then back. "Go, go find some nice quiet place to do what you have to do." She winked at the young doctor.

With that May reached out and took Daisy by the wrist bringing her to her feet. "Let's go. We have a few things to discuss about your reckless need to disregard every order. Maybe I need to send a more tangible message, one you won't forget so easily." She tugged the girl forcing her to take a few steps before Daisy dug in and stopped. May looked at the clock. "Oh and look it's still today, as a matter of fact there are about ten hours left in today," she turned and smiled wickedly. "And I believe you have just about that much time left to spend in your room."

"Come on, May," Daisy whined, attempting to pull away from her mother. This was nuts. "I'm not the one who got all uppity in your face and Skye's already serving her time."

"Far as I'm concerned you are one and the same," May huffed. "Wouldn't be fair giving you special treatment now would it?" She tugged Daisy from the spot she'd anchored herself.

The girl turned to Coulson begging his help with a look.

"Made your own bed, kiddo," he shrugged his shoulders holding his arms out at his sides.

"Let's go," May used her most commanding voice and pulled the girl out of the room.

Daisy uttered her protest all the way.

Simmons moved next to the director, arms wrapped around the clipboard she held. She watched the door until she could no longer hear Daisy's complaints. "You don't suppose…" she began without turning toward him.

Coulson shook his head and gave an almost smile. "That's between those two," he jerked his head slightly toward the door. "I'm sure they'll work it out."


	36. Chapter 36 - The Time Has Come

**Chapter 36**

 **The Time Has Come**

May swung Daisy into her bunk room and slammed her hand against the mechanism that closed the door. Daisy stood and rubbed her fingers around her wrist.

"Geez, May…chill out," she laughed. "I know you're upset but…"

May spun on the girl, marching to meet her nose to nose. "Upset? _UPSET?_ " She poked the girl's shoulder hard enough to push Daisy back a step. "I'D HAVE TO CALM DOWN TO BE UPSET!" May bellowed as she moved closer. Daisy backed up with each word.

With a nervous smile Daisy tilted her head to one side. "Come on, May, don't you think you're taking this mom thing a little too far. I'm not a kid, you know." She pulled her arms across her chest and stood her ground quietly.

"Don't," May let out a long breath then drew another. "Don't push your luck." She turned and paced to the door and back breathing heavily through clenched teeth. "I have half a mind to take you over my knee and…"

Daisy laughed out loud. "Don't be ridiculous, May. I'm not the ten year old you…"

May stepped so close, so quickly that Daisy fell back and sat down hard on the bed behind her. She looked up at the incensed woman.

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough the _last_ time we discussed this matter. What the hell, Daisy? Three times, three…three times you go diving head long into that damn program on your own. A few weeks ago we almost lost you…lost the both of you and as soon as you're well enough you go right back." May roared, unwilling to give the girl the opportunity to respond. When she finally paused, Daisy took a breath.

"I had to, May. It was the only way to get you and Coulson to admit how you feel. I told you that." She explained for possibly the tenth time.

"I don't care what your damn idiotic reasons were." May shook her head and pursed her lips. "I…no we, we told you not to go into that program on your own again and you just blow us off and do as you please."

"I'm _not_ a kid, May. I know what I'm doing." Daisy shot back rising from her seat then quickly shrinking back in the shadow of May's glare.

The older woman continued to glare until Daisy felt like shrinking into the mattress and pulling the blanket over her head. May narrowed her eyes and let out a nasal breath. She walked across the room and grabbed a black sleeveless Tee from the dresser then turned and flung it at her daughter. Daisy caught it as it struck her chin. "Suit up," May commanded as she turned toward the door. "Meet me in the gym…"

Daisy let out a snort. "There's nothing left of the gym."

May turned back and glared at the girl. "There's enough for what _I_ need." Daisy couldn't help feeling that was a threat. "Fifteen minutes, Daisy…don't make me come looking for you." She continued to glare for a beat, wordlessly daring the girl to protest then turned, slammed the door release and exited without another word.

Daisy sat on the bed staring at the closed door. Letting out a relieved breath, she wrapped her work-out tee around her hands in one direction and then the other. She'd seen that look before. It was the same look Melinda-mom gave Skye about fifteen seconds before she gave the kid a piece of her mind via a palm applied several times to Skye's backside. Daisy let out a laugh through her nose. Yeah, May was mad but it wasn't the first time. She'd been mad at her a lot of times, yelled and slammed and banged, gave her the silent treatment and knocked her on her ass in training when she was really ticked, but she'd never been 'mommy-mad' at her. Daisy shook off the shiver. This was a whole new ballgame.

The girl stood and tossed the garment she had twisted into a knot on to the mattress. She nibbled on her thumb nail and paced back and forth along side the bed. May was more than mad, she was livid and why the hell was she so nervous. Damn she was Quake! She was inhuman, probably the most powerful inhuman known at the moment. Why should she be afraid of a little knock down, drag out training session with momma-May. May trained her, for gawd's sake…made sure she was totally efficient in every move. They were totally matched…well, unless May held something back…but, no May wouldn't do that. Would she?

Daisy pulled off the sweat shirt she wore and grabbed the work out tee. There was really no sense making matters worse and she really did not want to find out what would happen if May had to come looking for her. That was an old threat. May had made it almost every day when she was her S.O. Daisy never pushed her luck then, she wasn't about to do so now. She slipped off her sweat pants and pulled on the spandex leotard she used for working out then dropped to her knees to search for her sneakers. Finding both under her bed she sat on the floor and pushed her feet into them.

Knowing she could easily overtake May, she closed her eyes against a memory that haunted her dreams. It was almost three years but she still woke one or two times a week reliving the vision of May's lifeless body rolling across the stone patio through the gate of Afterlife. The muscles in Daisy's stomach clenched at the mental picture, at the knowledge that she had used her power to throw May like a rag doll and then just walk away. She did…she just walked away that horrendous day, brushing the hot tears from eyes and hoping she could find some secluded place before she lost the contents of her stomach. It was a few seconds before she felt those same tears on her cheeks. Grabbing the discarded sweat shirt from her bed she scrubbed them away.

Daisy would never, _ever_ forget that day…that sight…the ugly use of the power in her to hurt someone she loved with all her heart. She'd never, ever _let_ herself forget. It was just punishment for a sin that could not be forgiven. At the same time she promised herself that she would never use that power against May or any of her 'family' again. But that was a promise she couldn't keep. The fear in Fitz's eyes and Mack's crumpled body haunted her as well. She'd hurt them both while under Hive's control, knew exactly what she was doing and did it anyway. There really wasn't a harsh enough punishment for what she'd done to them. And then there was Lincoln…who gave his life for hers. She never hurt him, but she was never worth his sacrifice. Then she used it to let herself fall apart and to run away hurting Coulson and Jemma and everyone all over again.

Yeah, she deserved whatever punishment May had in mind so she'd take it. She would not resist. The girl again wiped the tears from her eyes and pushed herself up from the floor. Grabbing a towel from the back of the bathroom door she walked across the room, exited and picked her way through the debris toward what was left of the gym.

Xx

May stormed through the cluttered hallway, her breathing hot and heavy. 'Why? Why did Sk…no, no her name is Daisy… Why does she keep putting herself in danger? Why can't she just follow orders? Why must she continuously challenge every single solitary thing I do and say?'

Her thoughts ran as livid as she felt causing her to step harder and faster. If anyone had been in those halls they would have quickly looked away and made themselves scarce, hopping into any doorway open or closed. May was a force to be reckoned with…and angry May was a storm to be avoided at all costs.

Reaching the door of the ramshackle former gym she stepped up and over a large chunk of concrete. Wires and bent re-bars stuck out giving it the appearance of a large deceased insect. May barely noticed the obstacle that more than likely was once part of the ceiling. Her attention was on the small room at the opposite end of the debris field. It was compact and tucked well under the farthest beams of the base. For some reason it had been spared most of the destruction caused by the immense blast that struck the building a few months ago. Without thinking, May threw or kicked, whatever worked better, the bits and pieces that blocked the entrance, pushed the thick door open and stepped into the dim interior.

It was a storage area, used to hold weapons and equipment used for training agents. May moved aside helmets and body armor in order to reach a large case at the bottom of nearly every piece of equipment. She pulled it free and set it atop the pile, drumming her fingers on the lid as she studied the locking mechanism. As far as she knew this case had never been opened, certainly not as long as she had been at SHIELD. She couldn't fathom the reason she had brought it with her on the Bus or to the Playground or for that reason why she kept it at all.

May let out a long breath and dropped down on the only chair in the small room. Images of Daisy and of Skye combined in her mind. Her heart ached for the little girl she had to leave behind every time she was pulled from Fitz's fantasy world. Never would she admit how much she missed that little imp, her smile and her laughter, her affection and even her defiance. Oh, Skye pushed her to her limit over and over and in the same sense she put the little girl in her place as often as she felt it was necessary. May closed her eyes and thought of her own mother with all her rules and demands throughout her childhood, even into her teens. She opened her eyes and stared at the case once more.

Lian May was a strict mother. Melinda learned early that challenging that authority meant a dose of her mother's firm hand, but it didn't stop her from doing it at every turn. By the time she was fourteen she was training in Martial Arts and Lian, with her CIA trained ingenuity developed the training tool that lay in the locked case. As a teen, the young Melinda was sure she had outgrown her mother's over the knee form of discipline and tested that theory on several occasions. Sure enough Mama-Lian, resorted to lectures and banishing her to her room for hours on end which only fueled young May's need to push even harder.

May closed her eyes and remembered the weekend she skipped off with her friends to attend some concert. Now she couldn't even remember the band or even where it was, but she remembered the look on her mother's face when she showed up with the event security and dragged her out in cuffs. She rode with her hands bound behind her all the way home, bellowing at her mother for humiliating her in front of her friends. She'd used a lot of less than appropriate language and threatened to do everything from running away to where she'd never be found to kicking the back of the seat until it unlatched and flew out through the windshield. She demonstrated that by slamming both feet into the seat until she exhausted herself. All the while her mother remained silent.

Lian said nothing on the drive home, pulled into the driveway and opened the back door allowing her still boiling daughter out onto the blacktop. Melinda continued ranting until her mother removed the cuffs at the bottom of the stairs. She merely smiled at the girl and walked away. Melinda stormed up the stairs and threw herself onto her bed, kicking and screaming her unending protests until she fell into a restless sleep. When she woke she made her way to the kitchen and found Lian calmly sipping a cup of tea. Her mother barely noticed her as she sat at the table, totally confused.

"You are not going to punish me?" Melinda asked with just a hint of sarcasm.

Lian did not respond, but sipped her tea as if the girl wasn't even there.

"I am confined to my room for a month." The girl hissed.

Still no response.

"You're going to ignore me until I comply?" Melinda's voice rose as she slapped a palm on the table.

Lian drank the last of her tea and set the cup on the fine porcelain saucer. "You will meet me in the gym in exactly fifteen minutes, daughter." She spoke to the cup, not to the girl then rose, placed both cup and saucer in the sink and spoke again without turning around. "Fifteen minutes…do not make me come for you."

With that the woman walked to the basement door, opened it and stepped inside. She did not look at her daughter or check to see if she would comply.

Fourteen minutes and forty-seven seconds later Melinda faced her mother on the training mat in their basement, defying her mother to the last moment. It was an eye-opening experience, one she never forgot and yet repeated twice before realizing her mother would never stand for her belligerence no matter how big or how old she got.

May stood and walked to the case, placing her thumb on the lock that would open only for her. She hoped her own daughter would not need three such training sessions to learn the same lesson.

xx

Daisy made her way to the basement of the mostly destroyed base. Navigating around piles of concrete and nonexistent stairwells in the dim lighting was hazardous but not difficult for her after months of living in its aftermath. She'd been to the old training area quite a few times. It was her escape, a place to think, a place to escape the insanity that embraced all of them since her foray as solitary act. Well, actually it was a return, after all she'd lived most of her life as a solitary act. The problem was she never had anyone to miss before, never had anyone that missed her either. It was a different feeling, an unfamiliar feeling that poked and prodded at her every night while on the run. She slept very little. Not that she feared being caught or that the Watchdogs would end her, damn she was hell bent on suicide by psued-mission anyway. No, what kept her awake were the faces of her family…yes, her family, all of them. She tried using that angry hate-foo of May's but it never really worked. Not even her self loathing could erase the concerned faces of Coulson and Simmons, May and Mack, Yoyo and Fitz…they were right behind her eyelids every night and nothing she did pushed them away.

They all forgave her in an instant, took her right back into the fold without question. For the first time in her life she knew someone loved her and she was not afraid to love them back. She sent herself away, because that's what she was used to, but they never did. They came after her and once they found her (or she found her way back to them as it was) there was no way they were letting her go. Oh, yeah it was subtle and pretty understated but she knew if it came right down to it Coulson probably would have locked her in Ward's old basement cage and kept her there until she came to her senses.

Daisy laughed at the thought. Not that it was funny, it was just sooooo, Coulson. She shook off the memories and picked up the pace, having lost track of time with her daydreaming. Although she knew she was probably walking right into a full blown Mama-May beat down, she almost felt relaxed, at home with the familiarity of a workout with May. It had been a very long time since she trained with her mentor, all those days dragging herself out of bed by four thirty a.m. just to be in the gym by five. It was like coming home. The closer she got to her destination the more she looked forward to sparring with May even if it meant she'd get knocked on her ass at least half a dozen times. Heck she was so happy to do something so normal she might just let her mentor double that, although May would be pissed knowing Daisy was not giving her all.

Stepping over the large chunk of concrete and wires in the doorway, the girl wiped the smile from her face and attempted to pull the same mask her mother used into place. No sense having May accuse her of thinking this was some kind of a joke. Daisy stopped and surveyed the damage in the room before realizing May was tossing something around in what they called the Tac Room. Yeah, it was a play on words and had been christened that name by Prince who hailed from Wyoming. His family raised horses and of course had a Tack Room for all the paraphernalia used with the beasts. He started calling the room that held all the tactical training gear by the same name and it just stuck. Daisy sighed remembering the guy then made her way toward the small room at the back of the gym.

She pushed the door open and stood in the opening just watching. May had moved almost everything to the perimeter of the room and tossed enough salvaged mats down to cover the floor. She turned and stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at Daisy.

"Twelve minutes and forty-three seconds," May growled.

Daisy shrugged her shoulders and snorted as she stepped inside the room. "Two minutes and seventeen seconds to spare," she boasted, tossing the towel she carried over the nearest pile of what might have been a table.

May let out a disgusted breath and turned away pulling something from a long case on the floor. She turned back and twirled what looked like a quarter staff with wider than usual ends. May performed a couple fancy moves then stood and merely glared at her daughter.

Daisy raised her eyebrows and took a breath before letting out a laugh she couldn't contain. "Let me guess, you're sending me white water rafting? Like that would be punishment?" She couldn't help it. The tool May held looked exactly like those double bladed oars used with a kayak. Daisy had never seen anything like it used in training.

May twirled the thing again and offered a sly smile. "Always sarcasm," she warned calmly. She stood the weapon in front of her and glanced at it, top to bottom. "My mother designed this piece of equipment," she spoke with a hint of pride. "We used it in training."

Daisy smiled and leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms over her chest. Wow, May was sharing some family stuff with her. "I didn't know you trained with your mother." She smiled.

"We did," May nodded, then turned and smiled a very evil smile at the girl, "when it was necessary."

Daisy dropped her stance and crossed the room, trying to get a better look at the… _was_ it a weapon? Again she couldn't resist. "Well, unless you're battling some incensed kayaker, I gotta say I've never seen or had the need for a weapon like that."

May held the staff horizontally in front of her with one hand and gauged its weight. "It's not a weapon." She stated flatly. "It's only used for training, special training, and _only_ for a specific exercise."

Daisy pursed her lips and nodded. "And apparently I'm in need of this very special specific training exercise." She pointed at herself and raised her brows again as she stepped closer to her mother, noticing for the first time the flat ends of the staff were more of a silicone texture than wood as she suspected from afar.

May reached out and gently patted Daisy's cheek. "Oh, you have so exceeded the need for this."

"Ohhhhhh Kaaaaay," Daisy exhaled slowly, beginning to have her doubts about this situation. "I'm ready…I think. Where's my…" She searched for a name for the thing May still held.

"Wakatta," May supplied the term then sniggered, "my mother's term, not mine. And there's only one."

"One," Daisy repeated.

"Only need one," May continued before the girl could ask, flipping the staff from hand to hand before she dropped into an attack position and nodded to the younger agent. "It's called Protect Your Flank" She smiled as she swung the tool wickedly in all directions then stopped and stared at Daisy. Make your stand." She ordered as she swung the staff around and caught the girl across her backside with a serious crack.

Daisy jumped away with a yelp, reaching back to rub off the sting. "Hey!" She growled. "What the _hell_?" A second swipe caught her on the opposite side before she saw it coming.

"Watch your language, young lady." May warned with a sly smile, as she backed up and feigned a third strike that Daisy quickly avoided.

"Wait a minute!" The girl backed toward the wall and held out her hands in a time out motion. "I get _nothing_ to defend myself with?" She squeaked. "How's that fair?"

May continued circling the girl, faking moves to both sides. "Never said it was fair," she smirked then swung again catching her daughter in the same spot as the first strike had. "Besides you've got plenty of attitude and lots of sarcasm. I guess you can just see how much that protects you." She swung again making quick contact.

Daisy let out a squeak and jumped out of reach. "Your _mother_ invented this?" She asked with eyes wide as she rubbed both hands up and down on her posterior. "Hell, she must have been a sadist!"

Again May's staff hit home with a loud smack. She stepped closer and moved faster sending the staff to the left and then rapidly to the right, making connections in both directions. "Do not disrespect your grandmother, xiǎo gūniáng." She warned as she stepped back.

"I'm far from being a little girl," Daisy snarled as she jumped out of the reach of May's next strike, now too angry to care about the sting behind her.

"We'll see," May narrowed her gaze feigned a swipe to the left and caught her daughter on the right.

"Enough!" Daisy demanded, stomping her foot on the floor. "This is crazy…how am I…I don't even…"

May's strikes hit home three more times.

"I'll decide when it's enough." May smiled, bouncing from foot to foot effortlessly. She swung again. Daisy jumped above the staff to avoid it and May nodded. She was impressed.

Daisy landed lightly, her fingers and toes touching the floor a second before she sprang back to her feet and spun away from her mother but a half second too late to avoid yet another stinging swat. She shook of the zing and concentrated on avoiding further contact with that damn wakatta. 'Cute name, grandma,' she thought. She'd figured out about two minutes into this insane exercise that her grandmother and now her mother merely masked this as a way to dole out corporal punishment.

"How many times did your mother need to take you through this torTURE?" Daisy asked, almost out of breath as May made contact again.

"Three," May answered without hesitation. "I was a slow learner." Daisy laughed in spite of herself, earning two more rapid fire swats. "I'm hoping my child will be less stubborn and learn quickly."

Daisy yelped as the staff hit home again. "So am I," she snarled.

As the exercise continued, Daisy became more aware of May's moves and was able to avoid about a quarter of her mother's swipes and true to her word the battle went on until May dropped her stance. She stood back and shouldered the staff.

Daisy leaned forward and rested her palms on her thighs breathing heavily. May smiled as she spun the staff twice before dropping it back into the case and snapping the lid shut. "I guess that's enough for now." She pulled a towel from a hook on the wall and wiped the sweat from her brow.

"You guess?" Daisy gasped between breaths as she stood and put her palms to her hips arching her back then straightening with a quick intake of air through her teeth. "I might not sit down for a week."

May tossed a towel at the girl hitting her across the face. "That's the idea. Really gives you a lot to think about for a while."

Daisy pulled the towel away from her face and swiped the beads of perspiration from her forehead then grabbed both ends and wrapped it loosely around the back of her neck. May held out a bottle of water which she accepted with a nodded thank you then unscrewed the cap and took a long drink. May did the same as she sat back on a stack of crates pushed against the wall. Neither said a word as they rehydrated their bodies and regulated their breathing.

For a moment Daisy thought about the last time she, as Skye, had met with Melinda-mommy's discipline. It was after the 'breakfast-milk spill because you have too much attitude kid' incident. Melinda really let her have it that morning but then she…well she…she didn't just walk away and let her wallow in her guilt and resentment. No, Melinda stayed…she talked to her, helped her understand what happened and why. Even told her why she wasn't sorry…yet. In that moment she envied Skye and the relationship she had with her version of Melinda May, the softer mommier side. Oh, she loved her version, but she was never quite sure the feeling was mutual, not like the unwavering faith Skye had in her mother's love for her.

Tilting her water bottle toward May in a mock half-hearted toast, Daisy started for the door. "Guess I'll go shower and get back to…" she paused for a moment wondering exactly what she needed to get back to doing. Things had been usually quiet lately, even with every agency in the country looking for them.

"Not so fast," May stopped her. "We aren't finished here."

She stopped with her back to May and let out a breath over her lips. "You already spanked my ass, May. What's next standing in the corner?" She laughed as she turned to face the woman. "You'll have to find one first."

May narrowed her gaze and folded her arms over her chest. "Apparently enough wasn't enough. Maybe we should start again." She stood and clicked open the case.

"No, wait, wait…I'm sorry, really I am…I just…I…" Daisy searched for the right words, how to explain what she felt. She felt the blush on her cheeks as she quickly swiped a tear that escaped from one eye. Why the hell was she crying? She hadn't cried over getting her backside roasted since she was about ten. She vowed she would never let anyone see her cry over that again, not ever…but this was different.

"Hey," May spoke in that quiet 'Melinda to Skye' kinda voice that stopped Daisy cold.

"I'm not a little girl, May." Daisy spoke to her feet. "I don't need all that mommy stuff after taking my _medicine_."

May stepped closer and took the girl's hands from the ends of the towel around her neck into her own. "Part of you is still that little girl, _my_ little girl," she almost whispered, shaking Daisy's hands gently. "And maybe I need to be that mommy you never had." Daisy looked up with only her eyes. "Maybe _I_ need to be the mommy _I_ never got a chance to be…"

"I'm not Skye." Daisy sighed, watching May hold her hands exactly the same way Melinda held her child's.

"Aren't you?" May asked, bending to look the girl in the eye. "Do you think I love her more than I do you?" May realized the girl's dilemma.

Daisy shrugged realizing how Skye-ish the action was. "She's a kid, she needs you more. She needs a mom like that."

"Oh, bao bei, you _are_ Skye, my Skye…" She smiled as Daisy raised her head and breathed deeply. "My Daisy…the little girl that grew into a stubborn, beautiful woman that drives me just as crazy," May snickered as she pushed Daisy's damp hair behind her ear.

She backed to the crates she'd been seated on, pulling Daisy with her until they both sat side by side and draped an arm over the girl's shoulders. "Someone once told me it was easier to build a child than to fix an adult." May started. Daisy squirmed, a bit uncomfortable on the rigid boxes. May smiled as she brought the girl's head to her shoulder. "I've had the chance to do both because of you and your crazy idea, but that doesn't mean I'm going to just forget about all the stupid tricks you've been playing. I'm tired of you putting yourself in danger to prove a point or get what you want. You don't need to do that. You have nothing to prove, Daisy."

"I wasn't trying to prove anything." Daisy breathed. "I just wanted you and Coulson to be together and I knew you'd listen to Skye. You trust her."

"No, Daisy," May squeezed her in a one armed hug. "We trust you. This program has you split into two separate kids but to us, Coulson and I, you are one and the same. Every bit of love and pride I have in Skye is because that's what I feel about you. It's wonderful to watch you grow up and to be there for you in that fantasy world, but it only makes me love you more. I just have a hard time telling you. I guess I wasn't sure you'd believe me."

"Believe you?" Daisy looked up at May. "I thought you wouldn't believe me. You don't know how much I wanted you to be my mom and how thrilled I was when I found out the truth. I know it's easier to love Skye. She's just a kid and she's little and cute and…"

"Still you all over," May smiled. "She's stubborn and smart and needs a mom to keep her in line as well as love her more than anything else in the world."

Daisy was quiet for a long moment before responding, "Skye."

May shook her head, "Daisy."

Daisy smiled and snuggled into her mother's embrace.

She was home.


	37. It's Something You Get Only When You Giv

**Chapter 37**

 **It's Something that You Get Only When You Give**

Daisy sat at the table in the com room alone, nursing a now rather cold cup of coffee. She wasn't really drinking it, mostly she was plinking the spoon back and forth and watching the little swirls it made in the tan colored liquid. Her mind was a million miles away.

May had really laid down the lay about following orders, even the ones that came from parents instead of superiors. Hell, Coulson wanted her to learn to lead and if she couldn't follow an order she sure as hell couldn't give any. That wasn't all that trickled through her mind. May had said a lot more than she ever expected and most of it made perfect sense, especially all that stuff about Skye being her and she being Skye. Daisy didn't really want to admit it but it kinda seemed that Skye already understood that. She, the Daisy part of her, just saw Skye as a little kid. She didn't think of her as being her, mostly because it made her mind curl, but also because Skye was this little kid with a real family and a home and everything that was so unfamiliar to Daisy. Maybe it was just too much work to uncurl her mind and then try to wrap it around that. The girl was so engrossed in her thoughts she barely noticed when another entered the room.

Coulson smiled at the sight of his daughter looking so pensive. He walked past her and poured himself a cup of the brew the girl had probably made a while ago from the 'bottom of the pot' smell of it. He made no effort to be inconspicuous in his actions as he pulled his canned cream from the fridge and added way too much sugar to his mug. He too, plinked the spoon against the sides of the cup as he stirred the concoction to his liking and set it on the table a few inches from Daisy.

"Hungry?" He asked as he pulled the chair away, but did not sit.

Daisy glanced up at him with a weak smile and shook her head immediately glancing back to her half empty mug. Coulson sat and took a sip of his coffee, grimacing at the stale, burnt flavor that no amount of sugar could mask. He swallowed hard.

"A little strong," he coughed as he set the mug down and moved his tongue around in his mouth trying to lose the aftertaste.

"Huh?" was Daisy's only reply. It was apparent she was not listening.

Coulson smiled, picked up her mug and then his own as he stood. "How 'bout I make us some fresh?"

Daisy's hands that had been around the mug fell together on the table as she shrugged, still staring at the same spot and hardly noticing the mug's absence. Coulson busied himself for a few minutes rinsing out the burnt coffee pot, emptying old grounds and preparing a fresh pot of coffee for both of them. When it was done he poured two new mugs and sat back down. Daisy was still staring at the table or maybe her hands. He wasn't sure.

"How'd things go with May?" He tried pulling her out of her daze as he took a sip of the much better java.

Again she answered with a shrug, followed by a short breathy laugh. "She got to the bottom of the whole thing." Daisy took the mug and wrapped her hands around it, again staring into its depths as if it had the power to produce all the answers to every question she ever had.

"Took ya to the mats, huh?" Coulson pursed his lips and nodded knowing that was how May usually handled things. Daisy's look was enough to answer his question. He took a longer drink, swallowed and smiled as he looked across the room toward the door. "She usually does." He smiled. "Always leaves you with a lot to think about, not to mention a few bruises to remind you." He took a quick drink to stop the laugh he knew would not set well with the girl.

Daisy saw through his ruse. "It's not funny, Coulson. May didn't hold anything back. I'll be _reminded_ for days." She sneered. "Yeah, and I'll be thinking about it for a while, but no one's gonna notice the bruises."

Coulson looked at the girl for a moment before continuing. "Come on, Daisy. May would never intentionally hurt you. She might put you through a bit more vigorous sparring but she wouldn't injure you."

"I wouldn't exactly call it injure." Daisy frowned. "More like a little wake up call and believe sarcasm and attitude do very little to protect you when sparring with May and grandma's little weapon of ass destruction."

"Ah, so you've been introduced to Lian's cure for the sarcastic teenager?" He tried to look sympathetic.

..

"You know about that?!" Daisy's brows went high as she turned toward him in astonishment. "Did you know she was going to…" she dropped the comment just in case he did not. No sense sharing her bit of humiliation.

Now Coulson shrugged. "When we graduated from the academy Lian gave a long case to May, said she didn't need it any more, but it might come in handy someday. I was intrigued but May was tightlipped, wouldn't even open it. I kept asking, but you know she's a stubborn as…well, as her mother and her daughter."

"So, how'd you find out?" Now, Daisy was intrigued. Coulson took another drink and set down the cup as a smile crossed his lips. Daisy smiled expecting a juicy tidbit from her parents' secretive past. "Did you open it? Did she…give you a demonstration?" She couldn't imagine Coulson on his best day avoiding May's well aimed swipes.

The man chuckled as he shook his head. "Nope, I've never even seen what's in it." He almost laughed out loud as Daisy frowned on one side of her face while raising the opposite eyebrow. Picking up his cup, he drank again ignoring her look of 'then how?". Daisy let out a frustrated breath and dropped back against her chair.

"Couple months later I was helping May move into a new apartment…" he paused as the girl's brows rose again and she leaned forward in anticipation. "I had a pick up." He explained. "It was _her_ apartment." Daisy sat back and scowled. Coulson smiled. "Lian was there when I pulled the case from the truck and almost bounced off the pavement. I asked her about it and all she said held a training device. She didn't elaborate on how it was used or offer a description but did say it was a very effective tool for adjusting poor attitudes. Gave me a snide look and said we would definitely need it some day."

Daisy crinkled her nose in confusion.

"Guess she saw more to our relationship than we did." Coulson shrugged. "Anyway, she did tell me she had occasion to share it with her daughter a number of times."

"So why hand it off to May and tell you _you_ might need it?" Daisy suddenly had weird thoughts about grandmamma.

Coulson laughed. "Well, Lian kind of always thought May and I would end up together. I suppose she had the idea we might have a wayward kid of our own some day. From what I understand May was quite the rebel as a teenager."

"Tell me," Daisy begged, scooting her chair closer to him.

"And risk May's retaliation? Not in this lifetime," he smiled at the girl's crestfallen look. "You want details? You'll have to ask her yourself. Right now, just take my word for it. Lian gave me just enough information to let me know it was something May would know what to do with, should the occasion arise."

Daisy smiled. "Mother knows best."

"Always does…especially when her daughter has the very same sarcastic attitude." He smiled.

Daisy grimaced. "But not as stubborn because _I_ do not have _any_ intention of hitting the mats with the Wakatta any time in the near _or_ distant future."

"It has a name, does it?" Coulson turned down his mouth as he commented. "Care to share? I never did get the whole story."

"Believe, you do not want to know." Daisy shook her head and twisted her finger and thumb in front of her lips. "You won't hear it from me," she shook her head. "I think it's something between moms and daughters that's supposed to stay that way."

"That bad, huh?" He smiled.

"Worse," she replied, wrinkling her face to emphasize her statement. "It's definitely the training that keeps on giving." She squirmed a bit on the chair and grimaced, "and giving…"

For a moment they sat lost in their own thoughts before Coulson rose, poured himself a second cup of coffee and added what he needed to make it drinkable. Daisy still stared into the dark liquid in her own mug.

"Can I ask you something?" She said quietly as Coulson sat back down.

He swallowed the mouthful of coffee he'd taken and nodded before answering, "sure."

"May said something about Skye…" she hesitated, not sure if she changed her mind or maybe she was afraid of his answer.

"What about her?" Coulson pressed her to continue.

"Well…I…do you think she loves Skye…the Fitzwork Skye?" She asked quickly before changing her mind.

Coulson sniffed a laugh. "Of course she does, we both do." He stopped when he saw the change in Daisy's expression.

Daisy took a deep breath. "I think May might love her a lot me than me, I mean she says she doesn't but I see it when I'm there and well…"

"Stop right there, Daisy. May loves that little girl with all her heart because she loves you exactly the same way. How could she not? She's you, kiddoe. We love you both."

The girl looked back down at the cup on the table. "But, you love her a lot, huh? And you really miss her when she's…I mean when you're not with her." She glanced up at Coulson and bit her bottom lip.

"Of course we love her a lot and yeah, I guess we miss her some, but it's only because we missed all of those years with you, Daisy." He explained.

"But she's the Skye Fitz made up in the program, the perfect kid for you and May to raise. Things would have been a whole lot different if you really had me. I'm far from perfect." Daisy sighed.

"It doesn't matter," Coulson smiled. "You would have been perfect to us."

Daisy shook her head. "No, Coulson, you don't understand. I was a rotten kid. I never listened and I copped an attitude right from the start. I gave everyone a hard time. That's why no one ever wanted me."

Coulson pulled the girl closer despite her attempt to pull away. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You were never a rotten kid although I will give you the attitude part, although you came by it honestly. The sarcasm," he thought for a moment then squeezed her a little tighter. "Yep, that was honest as well. I think it's in your genes. You had a hard life, Daisy and you gave it right back. It made you who you are now. It was a difficult situation and you know SHIELD kept moving you to keep you safe. There were probably plenty of families that would have kept you."

"I was a brat, Coulson. Even I know that. May, never would have put up with the real me. She's in love with little Skye." Daisy continued.

"Well, from what I've seen, little Skye is very much a lot of little Daisy. I think you see the perfect little girl, but she's you and she manages to get herself into an awful lot of hot water. As far as May goes, nope she wouldn't put up with a lot of your…how did Simmons put it, 'bad girl shenanigans'… and as far as I've seen and can remember she didn't. You've been keeping yourself separate from Skye, looking at her as if she is another child living your life. Maybe it's time you let her in or let yourself in and enjoy the ride." Coulson suggested.

Daisy shook her head. She'd spent a lot of time in that program and watched how he and May loved their little girl.

"I've seen you when you do let yourself be Skye. How do you put it, 'being in control'? I see Daisy in her eyes and hear you in her voice. I know you're there and I can't say I love both of you because you are one, one beautiful stubborn little girl that May and I love. You need to let yourself believe that, Daisy. Let yourself _be_ Skye."

"Maybe I don't think I deserve it." Daisy sighed as she dropped her head on his shoulder. "Maybe I'm afraid I'll break it."

"Break how we feel?" Coulson smiled. "Never. At first we thought this was, at least, a risky idea, but the longer we have together. The longer I have to see you grow into who you are, the more I love the 'who you are'. Not that I didn't already. I know in that madbot's framework you couldn't let yourself meld into HYDRA-Skye. Who the hell even knows who or what she might have been. But this is different, Daisy. You don't have to be afraid of losing yourself, only of enjoying the childhood we would have given you."

"But look what I've done…I screwed up Christmas and got my ass roasted twice for being nothing but bad attitude. See, I don't even learn my lesson there. I still keep doing the same dumb things over and over." She argued.

"That's part of being a kid and having Melinda May for a mother…well, you're not getting away with much." Coulson reminded her.

"It's just all so messed up now." Daisy moaned.

Coulson leaned his head on the girl's. "You know they say everyone deserves a happy ending. I think you deserve a happy _beginning_ and I am positively sure you'll find it in that little girl." He felt Daisy sigh against him.

"She knows we're one and the same, me…not so much. I guess I'm afraid I'll ruin her if I give in and let us be one…maybe I'll miss her too much." Daisy mused.

"She'll be right here." Coulson tapped her chest lightly with one finger. "She'll always be a part of you, Daisy. This all started because you wanted us to have the memories of raising you. Don't you think you deserve those memories as well?" He smiled down at her.

"I never think I deserve anything good, Coulson. I've made a lot of dumb mistakes and decisions and I've…hurt a lot of people…people that mean a lot to me. I can't make up for that. I deserved to be punished not rewarded." She shook her head remembering his look when he saw her in the fireworks factory.

"We all make mistakes, Daisy. We're human." He smiled down at the smirk she gave him. "Even the inhuman part of you is only human." Coulson smiled as she rolled her eyes.

Again they shared a comfortable silence while Coulson drank his coffee and Daisy enjoyed the contact with his shoulder. "I missed you." She mumbled softly. Coulson nodded and nudged her closer. "I'm sorry." She breathed.

"It's all in the past, Daisy. We all did what we had to do. Now, we move forward." Coulson sighed as he set down his cup and wrapped both arms around his child.

Daisy shook her head. "It isn't alright, Coulson. It isn't going to be, because it's like there's a missing piece and we just keep pretending it's there but we know it isn't. When I came back, after I…after I ruing everything, I know you were angry. I could see it in your eyes. I know there was so much we needed to say and to do but we both just let it drop and now it's like this big gap between us that we just keep ignoring. I know I hurt you and I don't know how to fix it. I wish I could take it all back and do it right but I can't." And now she was crying, big fat tears rolling over her cheeks and splashing on to her sweater and hands. Daisy took a shaky breath and scrubbed her sleeve across her eyes.

Coulson didn't answer. He didn't have an answer. Yeah, he remembered the night Daisy just stumbled into the Watchdog fight right behind Simmons. In that instant he was livid with both of them. He had no idea that Jemma had only made contact with the girl that morning. He did not know Daisy was hurt. It was no time to light into both of them and he had so much to say. He wanted to find Daisy himself and bring her back to the base, kicking and screaming if he had to…knocked into oblivion with an ICER if necessary. He wanted that satisfaction and she'd taken it away when she made first contact with Jemma. He was jealous, green with it in fact that his kid…yep, _HIS_ kid would contact Simmons instead of him. He wanted to throttle both of them.

When he finally got her, almost alone, on the Quinn Jet she cut him off, telling him she wasn't staying. That she had a fight of her own. Damn her, thinking she could just walk away. Damn her thinking she could take on that group of zealots alone. Damn her noncompliance…her stubborn attitude…her need for self punishment and desire to let those monsters kill her if it came to that. When she said it, it was like an ice pick through his heart. He had her, an arm's length away and he couldn't keep her. His anger overwhelmed him and he gave in to it. Fine, he had growled to himself, you want out, then go. I don't need you either. I don't give a damn. I don't care what you do to yourself out there. If you're so smart then let them kill you…let them maim you and leave you for dead somewhere…somewhere I'll never find you…never know or see you again… Damn it, Daisy! Kill yourself if you think that will solve everything.

But it wouldn't and he couldn't say any of that to her…only in his frustrated mind, in his infuriated emotional wreckage

What he said, what happened was not what he wanted but anger clouds every judgment. He was as angry as she was and both of them were angry with her. Instead of helping her, he was feeding the fire. Instead of telling her what he felt, he was pushing her away with that same anger. He hated himself for it and only the twists of fate that followed brought her home. It was Mace that forced her back into the fold, although he knew she would not have stayed unless she really wanted to be there. Even then all they had was a few minutes of pointless evasive conversation. That one little comment she made about missing a few things and him telling her they missed her too. That was it? That was all he could say? Damn! He hadn't even slept all the while he was gone, hadn't worried like that since the Bahrain incident. It left him empty.

"Maybe you're right," he finally sighed. "We left a lot unsaid."

"Are you still angry?" Daisy asked, sounding very much like her Skye counterpart.

"Probably somewhere," he admitted, honestly. "It never was resolved and then it just turned into some irritating form of regret that I just compartmentalized."

"Saying I'm sorry isn't enough. It doesn't fix anything." Daisy shook her head.

"Same as forgiving you, I suppose." Coulson sighed as he hugged her tighter.

"I'll never do it again." She promised. "I missed you, even though I kept telling myself I didn't. I missed you all the time and I wanted to come back, but…but the longer I was away the harder it got. I never deserved you anyway." She shrugged.

"Daisy, you deserve a family." He started

"No, Coulson. I mean you, you," she poked a finger into his rib. "I never deserved _you_."

"I won't lie to you, kid. It hurt when you left and it hurt more every day you were gone, every time I almost caught up to you." He felt her shiver against him. "I never would have stopped looking."

"Guess we're back to St. Theresa again, huh?" Daisy smiled remembering their earlier conversation.

"Yep, I guess we just had to wait until we were in the right place together." He smiled down at her.

"I didn't do I it to hurt you…but I guess I kinda knew it did. I just…I…"

"I know," Coulson stopped her, knowing she had no words to describe her actions at the time. "I was angry when you came back, too angry to say anything. There weren't any words, Daisy, only anger. I wanted to kick your ass all over this base and back again and then hold on to you until we both stopped crying."

"I kinda figured that, after _I_ stopped being so angry. I was angry I was back, angry you didn't even yell at me and angry that it felt so good to be home. I just wanted you to tell me I had to stay even though I knew you wouldn't. When May talked to me after the prison debacle it finally hit home. I was hurting so much that I didn't see you were hurting too. She said you have a bigger heart than most and I was crushing it. I kinda wish you did kick my ass, I really deserved it."

Coulson let out a little laugh. "Maybe May will let me borrow that Wakatta thing and we can go a few rounds."

Daisy drew a quick breath through her teeth. "Maybe in a few weeks, right now the Wakatta target needs a break."

He laughed and placed a soft kiss on top of her head. "How about a grilled cheese sandwich?" He asked into her hair.

"Sounds great," Daisy nodded. "I'm starved."

xx

Fitz stared at the computer screen in front of him then tapped the same keys he'd been tapping for the last five minutes. He paused and waited for the change it would bring to the swirling code. For the fourth time, nothing happened. Letting out an exasperated breath he rose and stormed across the room reciting formulas in his head as he went. When he dropped back into his chair he tapped a bit harder but entered the same digits and again waited…again no change took place. The man tilted back on the chair and ran his hand across his face. He rose again and went from monitor to monitor checking each for any sign of change or the slightest hint as to why all of his attempts to set his program back into its original mode were not working. Fitz checked and rechecked all his connections, every USB, every thumb drive, every link to every bit of power and found nothing out of place. He ran four scans and two complete diagnostics, still finding every bit of every bite in place and in working order. No matter what he tried or retried he could not revert the program to skipping through Skye's formative years until she was full grown. It seemed it was stuck with the kid at age ten and, although Fitz knew it was impossible, it would not budge.

Of course Fitz also knew it was impossible for an avatar to cross the bonds of the program into reality and that no one could communicate with a computer generated entity through a silly kids' game on a lap top or that a computer virus could make not only a character, in what amounted to a life like play, sick but it could leap out of its digital form and attack a living, breathing person. Yep, he knew all those things for a fact and he also knew every one of them happened.

Somehow this crazy program was developing a mind of its own.

And that was more than frightening…


	38. Chapter 38 - It's Always Something

**Chapter 38**

 **It's Always Something**

Melinda made her way through the dim and dusty halls toward the com room. The telltale smell of burned cheese let her know that Daisy was enjoying her favorite meal, courtesy of Daddy Coulson. Daisy like the cheese browned just a hint. She claimed it brought out the flavor and Phil was quick to oblige. _'Always spoiling her,'_ Melinda smiled to herself as she walked the last hall and listened to the sound of their combined laughter. It never really occurred to her how the timbre of their voices combined in perfect harmony. The sound was pleasant although it stopped dead as she entered.

Daisy caught a drip of melted cheese with a quick finger move, slipping it into her mouth before grabbing a napkin to wipe her chin. She set the sandwich she held on her plate and chewed quickly, then swallowed before speaking. "Hey, May, Coulson's manning the grill. You know he makes a mean grilled cheese. Maybe you can get that secret ingredient out of him." She chuckled before taking another bite.

May gave her a half smile then looked at the girl over her brows. "Maybe I already know it."

Daisy raised her own eyebrows and widened her eyes, stifling a laugh before choking on the bite she'd just taken. She grabbed the large glass of milk from the table and gulped twice before taking a deep breath.

Coulson flipped a golden square of bread and cheese on the grill and smiled over his shoulder. "Get 'em while they're hot!"

May shook her head and pictured him in that silly apron standing at the stove in their cyber kitchen while Skye munched on her favorite and giggled at her father's antics. Some things didn't change, despite age or dimension. She shook off the odd thought. "Smells good, but I think I'll pass. I think there's still some yogurt in the fridge."

"Don't know what you're missing," he smiled as he slid the sandwich onto a plate and set it on the table.

"I'll take your word for it," May grinned as she fished a small container of yogurt from the back of the fridge. She turned it and examined the date then frowned. "Hell, it's only a month and that's the sell date anyway," she mumbled to herself as she walked toward the drawer that held utensils.

A few minutes later the odd little family sat at the table together, each enjoying their meager meal. "Hey," Daisy smiled around the last bite of her sandwich. "I think this is the first time we've done this." She moved her finger around in a circle above the table.

Coulson smiled a nod as he chewed while May shrugged with confusion. "Sure you didn't hit your head today, Daisy? Seems to me we eat regularly…maybe not well, but at least a few times a day." She took another spoon of the odd colored yogurt.

The girl snorted at her parents' reaction. "No, I meant having a meal together…like a family sitting down to dinner just to eat, ya know?"

May gave an 'ahhhh, gotcha' look. Coulson held up his sandwich in a kind of dry 'toast'. For a few seconds they sat together in silence.

"So," May began without looking at anyone in particular. "How's the headache?" She slid another scoop of yogurt into her mouth and looked to Coulson for an answer.

Daisy suppressed a giggle at the blush that covered Coulson's face as he choked on the bite he had just taken. He grabbed her milk and drank the entire glass in one gulp, put it down and swiped off the milk-tache with the back of his hand. He looked at May and smiled. "Seem to have left it somewhere," he quipped.

"Mmmm," May smiled as she swallowed her bite. "We'll have to try that cure out ourselves," she raised an eyebrow at him and smiled a sly smile, "just to make sure."

"Oooo kay," Daisy grimaced as she placed both palms on the table and pushed herself to her feet. "So much for family hour…I think I'll see what Fitz is up to…" She picked up her plate and glass then headed toward the sink. "That is a picture I do not need in my brain…no matter how long you've been Mom and Dad. Ick!" She shivered a grimace before a small giggle escaped behind it.

May tapped the back of her spoon on the table top gaining the girl's attention. When Daisy looked toward her she pointed the spoon at the clock that still hung at an odd angle on the far wall. "Looks like you still have about four more hours."

Daisy's jaw dropped as her body drooped. " _Come on_ , May, be serious…really?" She set the dishes in the sink and leaned back against the counter. Before she could go on, May let out a small laugh, set down her spoon and stood, giving Coulson a quick nod. "Fine we can forget the last of your 'confined to quarters' verdict…"

"Yes," Daisy hissed, pulling down a fist in triumph.

"We'll just make it up, with another hour or so, on the mats," May finished, taking a step away from her chair.

Coulson snorted as Daisy held out both hands and backed toward the door. "Whoa-ho-ho-ho…no way, nope…I'm good…a little down time is great…I could use the rest anyway. You just sit right down and spend some quality time with Coulson, here. Yep, I'm off to my bunk. See you in the morning." She rambled as she backed all the way across the room and skirted down the hall before either parent could react.

May smirked as she dropped back into her chair and swirled the last of her yogurt on to her spoon. Coulson watched in silence. She brought it to her lips and stopped, looked at him and dropped it back into the container a second before they both broke into laughter.

xx

Daisy rubbed the latent sting off her backside as she moved down the hall. 'Close one, Daze,' she mumbled to herself as she took a detour at the junction in the hallway. "Yep, on my way to my room," she whispered as she looked back over her shoulder, "just as soon as I make a little stop to visit my man Fitz."

She hurried down the ramp toward Fitz's makeshift computer room. No sense spending the next four hours staring at the ceiling. Hell, there wasn't even a window in that damn bunk. Not that she planned on looking outside anyway. Nope, she'd just borrow that old lap top Fitz kept in the program room and spend some time catching up on an old and most loved hobby. Who knew what she could dig up on Talbot or whoever was 'Talbot-ing' for the government in his absence. Maybe she'd even find out the status on fugitive S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Hell, May banished her to her room as Skye in the program what seemed like days ago, she didn't say she had to die of boredom while she was there. Of course, she did say something about Skye not having _her_ laptop for an undisclosed amount of time…Skye, _not_ Daisy. She never said anything about her not having _a_ laptop. She pushed open the door to Fitz's sanctuary.

The man sat in front of his massive processors, totally engrossed in whatever he was doing. He barely realized someone had entered.

"Hey, Fitz," she smiled as she greeted him, scanning the room for Jemma before she continued. Satisfied they were alone she went on. "I'm gonna borrow that old laptop for a while, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," he brushed her off absently, more into his work than her request.

She stood in the doorway and looked across the tables and desks, spotting it open and running on the farthest table from the workspace. She padded across the room and clicked it closed. The power cable was nowhere to be seen, but she knew she had one in her bunk. It would work, they were pretty generic. She walked back to the door. "Thanks, Fitz…you're a life saver…" She ducked out before he responded.

xx

"Think you're going a little extreme?" Coulson asked as he nodded toward the exit and sipped the last of his coffee.

"With Daisy?" May raised her brows. "Never…probably won't make a difference anyway. She's so hard-headed…"

"Hmmmm," Coulson smiled, "wonder where she got that. Kinda gives a whole new meaning to nurture vs nature." He mused as she gave him a sidelong glance.

May rose and walked the short distance to the stove, setting the kettle to boil. She reached into the cupboard and pulled out the small white china canister that held her tea. Letting out a small breath she realized it was nearly empty and wondered when any of them could risk a jaunt into public for much needed supplies. Now would be a great time to have a few allies that could smuggle such provisions. She dropped the necessary amount into a tea-ball then returned to her chair to listen for the kettle's whistle.

"She comes by most things honestly, explains a lot…" She shook her head and smiled. "Guess my mother's training routine will get a lot more use than it's seen in the last few decades."

Coulson couldn't resist a nasal chuckle, "might just wear it out."

May let out a huff. "Let's hope she's not _that_ much like m…" She paused almost unable to complete the thought.

"Like her mother?" Coulson prodded with a sly smile as he refilled his coffee cup. "She's got a lot of stubborn running through those genes. I'm guessing your training sessions might be quite regular."

May smiled back as the tea kettle began to sing. "Oh, I think she has some of her father's smarts as well. She's a quick study, but yeah, stubborn as an ox."

Coulson swallowed a sip of coffee and lifted the mug toward her. "Double dose? Kid hasn't got a prayer." He shook head and dropped back into the chair.

May sat as well and sipped her hot tea as the room fell into a rather uncomfortable silence for more than a few seconds before Coulson nervously cleared his throat.

"May, I…" he began. She held up a hand as she set her cup back into the fine saucer on the table. He grinned at the irony of the delicate dish in the hands of such a powerful woman and shook his head. "No, I need to say this…I have to…"

"Coulson…listen, there's nothing that needs saying that I don't already know." May breathed without looking him in the eye. "We're both where we need to be. We can just take it from here."

Again the man shook his head, feeling the slight tingle of the headache that remained a phantom inside him. "No, I've waited too long, put it off and I need to…I just…" He reached across the table and placed his hand atop hers, surprised as well as pleased when she did not pull it away. She simply stared at it, allowing his touch as she fell silent already knowing what he would say.

"Melinda May…" Coulson began, saying her name slowly in a slightly hushed voice. He looked into her eyes as they met his and swallowed hard, afraid that he might change his mind like he had so many times in the past when they'd come this close to baring the truth. "Melinda May…" he repeated, faster with more confidence as he wrapped his fingers around her smaller hand. "I love you." There he said it. Finally it fell from where he had stored it for decades.

He'd been afraid for so very long to let her know, terrified at how he would react…how he would feel if she did not reciprocate…did not share the feeling he had suppressed for so very long. Now he waited for her to yank her hand from under his and brush him off or let out a snort allowing him the space to laugh at this joke. Instead he watched as her gaze fell to the table for a moment before she looked deep into his eyes letting him know, as she always did, with just that look, that she understood and would follow him to the grave if necessary. It gave him permission to continue.

"I loved you in that silly dance class and all those days I followed you when you quit." He looked away as she smiled a hidden laugh and reached his other hand out to take both of hers in his. "I loved you in Oymyakon and on that ridiculous mission to that mine facility for _whatever_ the hell that 0-84 was." They both laughed at the memory. "Seriously," Coulson breathed, "by the time we got to Paris I was ready to tell you and…well, then…well…" he hedged.

"I don't remember a lot of talking that night," May smiled.

Coulson chuckled as he looked down to hide the flush on his cheeks. "No, words weren't really necessary."

Again, the couple fell silent, each lost in the memories of that night and those that followed.

"And then," Coulson started.

"There was Andrew," May finished for him.

"There was Andrew," Coulson repeated quietly with a sad smile. "And I knew I'd lost my chance, all that bush beating and I'd lost you."

"You didn't." May smiled an almost invisible smile. He looked up quickly, again meeting the truth in her eyes. "I thought I loved him," she shrugged as she watched his hand gently squeeze hers. "It just happened. It was a whim, a spontaneous decision we both lived to regret…didn't even last a year." She shook her head and looked away again, silently thanking the inhuman that gave his life to save her child.

She swallowed hard and squeezed his hand tightly. "Then there was Bahrain and everything stopped."

"Even then, May, through all of it. I still felt the same, nothing changed. No matter how far you pushed away, my feelings remained. I'd see you in that dark little cubicle trying to be invisible, to dissolve into the background and I loved you all the more. Then New York happened and I…I…" It was Coulson's turn to relive a memory he kept in the farthest compartment away from conscious thought. He tugged her hand a smidge, getting her to once again meet his gaze. "I don't remember much…I mean it was weird because there was probably a hell of a lot of pain, but all I could think about before everything faded to black was that I never told you…that you'd never know."

She squeezed his hands with both of hers pulling them both to stand and move closer to each other. "Fury told me himself." She revealed. "He came to my apartment at two in the morning. I thought Bahrain hurt but that pain was blinding. You were gone and I never had the opportunity to tell you, Phillip Coulson that I've loved you since the first time you stepped all over my feet in that idiotic dance class." He raised his eyebrows at her statement. "What, you think I quit because I didn't enjoy it? Damn it, Coulson you were a geek! And I was terrified that I was falling head over heels for you and _that_ would screw up my career plans. Why do you think I avoided you at every turn, never let you into my dorm?"

"Honestly?" He snorted. She smirked back. "I thought you hated me."

"I did," she huffed, then sniggered when his face fell. "For about ten minutes when they pared us for two stepping…" She smiled a smile he hadn't seen in years. "After that I used every trick I knew, at the time, to hide my feelings."

Coulson let out a long sigh. "We've lost a lot of time, Mel and if…Cal hadn't…hadn't stolen…" He still found it hard to say…to admit he'd failed her in those twenty minutes…that he'd left her when every fiber of his being told him to stay.

"Our life?" She attempted to finish the statement also full of the guilt that she hadn't recognized her own child and let that monster steal her baby without lifting a finger to stop him. Her skin crawled and her stomach lurched at her sweet baby girl in the arms of Jiaying, then silently thanked the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that saved her and kept her that way all of her life.

Pulling May to his chest, Phil wrapped her in a hug, holding her close. "I don't know who we'd be if fate had taken that turn but I would have made it work, May. I would have loved you and together we would have raised our little girl. No matter what we became or how much our lives changed we would have been together."

May nodded against him. "Well, according to Fitz we didn't exactly live happily ever after."

Coulson chuckled. "Happiness can get a little boring."

"I don't think either of us would have settled for all that domestic living." May chortled. "I think we were destined for S.H.I.E.L.D. Besides, Fury would never have let you go."

"Life would have been a lot easier," Coulson mused as he held her back to look in her eyes.

"And boring," May added. She looked into his eyes and realized that the com room was probably not the best place to continue this conversation that, if he felt the same as she did, would soon become much more. Before she could speak, he continued.

"Did you know this building has a fully equipped fallout shelter?" Coulson asked.

May furrowed her brow. It certainly was not what she expected him to ask. He almost laughed at her reaction.

"Really, it was dug under the sub-basement in the mid-thirties during the Manhattan Project, probably one of the first." He began rambling as he fell into historian mode. "The scientists that worked on the project felt it might go south so they took precautions. After Hiroshima they dug it even deeper, put in generators designed by Tesla himself and during the fifties and sixties loaded it with the most up to date technology of the time." He finished proudly.

"And you felt the need to tell me this now?" May twisted her face into a confused visage.

"Absolutely," he smiled as he took her hand and tugged her toward the exit. "There's not a lot of privacy in this place, but…"

Her eyebrows shot up as she realized what he was suggesting and stepped a bit faster to match his stride.

xx

Daisy slipped into her bunk and punched the lock code into the door. It was pretty pointless, she knew, because Coulson could pretty much override any door code in the place. However, she could stash the laptop and be under the blankets on her bed or safely in the bathroom a lot faster that he could manage an override. It didn't give her complete privacy but it did give her time. She smiled at her own ingenuity as she tossed the laptop on the mattress and pulled a power cord from the nightstand drawer. Plugging in the computer she grabbed a pair of flannel PJ pants and a Tee shirt then ducked into the bath.

May's work out had left quite an impression. She grimaced at her reflection in the full length mirror on the back of the door then shrugged. Hell, nobody was going to see _those_ bruises. She also built up quite a sweat and the hot shower felt great on every part of her body and mind. Daisy let the water fall over her head and cascade over her face before scrubbing away the grime of the day or days, she thought.

The hot shower was great and after pulling on sleep clothes Daisy flung herself on the bed and flipped open the laptop. She pressed a few keys and waited for it to start then load everything she'd need for hours of tripping around the globe peeking in and out of locks and places she probably shouldn't be. And what the hell, if that didn't work she'd pirate some movie or just lay back and listen to a few favorite tunes she hadn't heard in God knows when. A soft ping let her know the computer was ready. She hit a key and watched as the screen came to life.

Daisy sputtered and dropped her gaze at the sight of cartoon Fitz's obscenely large head. The little window was opened above him with the cursor blinking inside, but it was blank. The clouds and cartoon birds that fluttered in the background were still…freeze frame…unmoving…silent. Daisy frowned as she tapped one key and the cursor blinked rapidly but no figure appeared. She tried rolling the mouse to the button that would close the program but the small white arrow remained stuck mid frame. The program was apparently frozen. She tapped a few other keys searching for a backdoor to shut it down and try again. Nothing.

Daisy pulled herself up and crossed her legs in front of her, setting the computer in her lap. After ten minutes of trying every trick she knew, the girl resorted to the first rule of tech…shut it down and reboot. She let out a aggravated huff and held down the button. Feeling the computer power down she waited a few seconds then hit the power switch again and felt it restart. Tapping her finger on the keys as she waited she wondered how many firewalls she have to hack through to get any information on Talbot. The screen came back to life once again displaying the brightly colored screen and Fitz's giant smile.

Scratching her head, Daisy tried again to close the program only succeeding in bringing up an almost invisible pause icon in the center of the screen. She tried again to maneuver the mouse to the center and click it but had no luck. Resisting the urge to slam the damn thing against the wall she dropped it on the bed, flung herself back in frustration and let out a long breath.

What good was the damn thing if she couldn't make it work? And not getting it to work was worse than not having it at all. She drummed her fingers on the mattress then pushed herself up and yanked the laptop back across her knees. She tried rebooting again with the same result and although she already knew it was useless, she ran through every trick she knew three more times before tossing the machine to the bottom of the bed, throwing herself backward and pulling a pillow over her face then screaming into it. It didn't help, but it took away some of the irritation.

The only person who could help was across the base and down one level. She'd have to pass right through the com room to get to him and really had no desire to deal with all that strict mother lecture again. She could always claim she was still hungry or just needed something to drink, but it wouldn't be much of a ruse with a laptop tucked under her arm. Daisy let out a long breath and lifted the pillow from her face, wrapping her arms around it as she thought. It seemed that this or that damn cyber laptop was the root of all her…well Skye's…problems for an awfully long time. She sat up on the edge of the bed and pulled on a pair of sneakers, grabbed the laptop and headed to the computer lab Fitz had set up in the basement.

xx

Daisy started having second thoughts as she neared the com room, then shook it off. Hell, she was an adult and had just as much right to march around the base as anyone else at any time for any reason. She didn't have to answer to anyone…well, almost anyone. But that was just stupid. Yeah, Melinda May was her mother…her real, honest to God, right from the start, labor pains and all, mother. Daisy smiled at that thought. May was her mother. Momma May. May mom. Melinda mommy. No matter how you said it, the woman she had thought of as a mother was now every bit the mother she wanted her to be. DNA proved what Daisy had known in her heart…or at least wished for as long as she knew May. She remembered the when an unstable and terrified Mike Peterson snatched her and her van. It was May that came after her. It was May that neutralized the guy that was about to blast her away in the train station. She remembered being mesmerized by Melinda May's actions that day. Rarely was she knocked speechless but that day she just stared and knew she wanted to be just like her…strong, confident and fearless. Even when May chewed her out for trying to find out more about her then unknown parents, she never lost respect or admiration for the woman. And now…now it was true, now Melinda May was her mother.

The girl smiled at the thought of bumping heads with her mother. There was still a modicum of fear there, even though her inhuman abilities made her more powerful than…well, than just about anyone. Daisy giggled at herself, she actually enjoyed giving May a hard time and was more than willing to risk whatever the consequences might be. She quickened her step and marched into the common room prepared for mental and probably a lot of verbal battle.

Daisy opened her mouth to announce her presence then snapped it shut when she realized the room was empty. She walked to the table and stared at the half full cups still on the table, the dishes in the sink and the griddle still on the stove. She turned toward the saggy couch in the sitting area then looked back at the mess her parents had left. They actually left dirty dishes in the sink and the table. She didn't know whether to be appalled or simply shocked. What could have had them rush out and…she stopped mid-thought and covered her mouth and squealed a crazy laugh.

"They didn't," she whispered to no one. "Oh my God, they did!" She squealed again then hurried toward the computer room.

xx

"What do you mean it's stuck?" Jemma scrunched up her nose asking Fitz for a more detailed explanation.

"Stuck, Jemma…unable to move, immobile, jammed. _Will not accept change_." Fitz let out in an exasperated growl.

"I am well aware of the denotative meaning, Fitz." Jemma answered in much the same tone. "Why is it unable to move forward?"

Fitz paused his frantic typing, closed his eyes and let out a slow breath through his nose. "If I knew that I'd have fixed it already then, wouldn't I?"

Jemma let out a frustrated sigh. "I do not believe you…YOU…have no idea the problem is with YOUR program."

"There is nothing wrong with it, Jemma." Fitz swung his chair around and stood, running both hands through his hair. "It's just not…not doing what I want it to do right now."

"And that's not a problem?" The girl asked with a slight tilt of her head.

Fitz paced a few feet forward then back and stood staring at the screen. "Not so much a problem as a conundrum," he spoke more to himself than to Jemma. "It's like some…"

"Fitz!" Daisy bellowed as she burst into the room and slid the laptop across the table toward him. "There is something really wanky with this thing. Can you please get your little…no big head off the screen so I can at least watch a few YouTube cats dive in and out boxes?"

Fitz looked from the laptop to Daisy and then back as the three occupants of the room merely stared at one another. Daisy smiled a small laugh. "Did I interrupt something?" She shrugged and took a step back.

"No, not at all," Jemma breathed.

"Working out a difficulty," Fitz stammered at the same time.

Daisy raised her brows and looked from one friend to the other. "Ah huh," she nodded then pointed to the laptop. "That's got a difficulty of its own." She stepped toward the table and reached for the computer.

Fitz stepped forward as well, turning the laptop toward him and flipping it open. He tapped a key and woke the screen, peering at the cartoon image of himself. He tapped a few keys, looked up at Daisy who raised her brows, then back down at the screen image that had not changed. He blew out a heavy breath over his bottom lip and closed his eyes before turning away from the table and dropping back into his chair in front of his own keyboard.

Daisy smiled and spun the laptop around then turned up one side of her face and glared at Fitz. "I thought you…"

"It's _stuck_ ," Jemma stated sarcastically, pursing her lips as she narrowed her gaze.

Fitz rolled his eyes and shook his head, turning his back toward the women. Daisy stared at him for a moment then looked back to Jemma. She stepped behind Fitz and stared at the concentric circles of code that swirled on the screen. Reaching out toward the keyboard she stopped and looked to Fitz for nonverbal permission. He gave a quick nod and moved aside to allow her access. Daisy smiled and tapped a few keys then looked to the screen. She felt more than heard Fitz's scoff behind her. She tried again, using an alternate code and watched as nothing happened on the screen. Standing back and squinting at the screen she tried again then turned to Fitz.

"Did you…"

"Yes, twice…"

"And what about…"

"First thing…"

"And it…"

"Doesn't change, nothing changes, I cannot reset the time mode or move forward. It's like someone…" Fitz shook his head and let out with a frustrated grumble.

"Like someone hit pause," Daisy finished for him as she raised one finger and tapped it toward him.

Jemma watched the exchange and stepped forward. "Could one of you please share what you are talking about?" She sounded just as frustrated as Fitz.

Daisy smiled as she spun the laptop toward them and tapped a few keys then stepped aside and revealed the same cartoon screen dulled by her changing the contrast and brightness. Now the cartoon Fitz stood frozen in the background with a large pause icon in the center of the screen.

Fitz stared for a moment then looked at Daisy. "It's paused, the game is paused. Turn it off and then reboot, everything should be okay." He turned and walked back to his screen.

"I tried that Fitz, twice. It doesn't change a thing." Daisy smiled. Fitz did not react, merely stared.

Jemma looked at the cartoon image of her love and stifled a laugh. "What…" she began, trying to hide her smile. "Did you…" she looked at Daisy and pointed to the laptop.

Daisy pointed to herself. "Me? Not me. This is the little game Fitz designed to get me…no to untangle me and Skye a few weeks ago. It's how he let me know how to get back." Jemma nodded her understanding.

"With everything that happened after, I just left the laptop there." Fitz turned and nodded toward the far table. "I didn't even think about destroying the file. Not until…" He thought back to the morning Skye had spoken to him through the program, when she asked to speak to Daisy then the screen froze and the conversation stopped. He waited a few minutes then closed the laptop and left it. He hadn't really thought about it since. Fitz walked back to join Daisy and Jemma. He tapped lightly on the table with one finger. "It couldn't be that simple." He said to no one.

"And if it is?" Daisy asked.

"What…what is that simple?" Jemma's frustration was almost amusing.

"Skye paused the program." Fitz spoke to the computer.

"And her mother confiscated it…probably turned it off while it was still paused." Daisy added.

"That caused this?" Jemma tried to put together the bits and pieces they were rambling.

"It is possible," Fitz began as he quickly turned, dropped onto his chair and began typing. "It is highly improbably but nonetheless possible." The room fell quiet except for the tapping of keys. Fitz stopped and stared at the screen then turned and smiled. "That's it. The program is paused and somehow it has affected the entire system…everything it linked. When I slipped that cartoon," he nodded toward the laptop, " into Skye's computer it became part of the matrix. When she paused it, it locked bits and pieces into place. I cannot make any changes and you can't restart that particular laptop until the program in Skye's computer allows that program to run."

"So just un-pause it," Jemma suggested.

Daisy and Fitz met each other's eyes for a moment before she spoke. "It's not that easy Jemma. Skye paused the program in the Fitzwork."

"It has to be corrected there." Fitz added.

"Fat chance that's gonna happen," Daisy almost laughed. "Mommy-Melinda took the computer after Skye's little lapse of insanity."

"Insanity?" Jemma sputtered. "She's only ten years old."

"Defying Melinda May is insanity at any age in any reality." Daisy breathed. Jemma raised her eyebrows and nodded in agreement.

"Is it absolutely necessary to un-pause this program?" She asked. "It doesn't appear to be affecting the system as a whole. The frame work is still running is it not?"

Fitz nodded. "It is, but not as I originally designed it. It should skip randomly through Skye, er Daisy's life, touching on incidents and experiences here and there until it catches up to the now of things. After which it would no longer be necessary, everything would," he interlaced his fingers in front of himself, "sort of mesh together. The frame work world would simply become the real world."

"Strange how things just don't turn out the way we intend them to, isn't it?" Jemma mused, referring to so much more than this situation. "So what happens now?" She still needed to know if correcting this little glitch was necessary.

"Skye stays ten years old forever. She never gets to grow up." Daisy sighed, feeling the ache of her little self despite the distance between them.

Jemma stopped herself before suggesting Fitz just end the program. She'd met Skye, spent time with the little version of her friend. Ending the program would also end Skye, deny her the opportunity to become Daisy. There was no need to ask if that was a possible solution.

"Actually, she would grow up, it would just take the normal amount of time. So in sixteen or so years she'll be the age you are now." He nodded toward Daisy.

None of them needed to say what they were thinking. The way things happened, the crazy things, the out of this world things and what ever else rolled their way if they managed to sort out this mess with the fallout from AIDA and the fiasco with Talbot it was doubtful anyone would be around to make sure the program ran that long. If someone didn't restart that silly cartoon program, it seemed little Skye and her parents were doomed.

"What if you went in and restarted it yourself?" Jemma asked Fitz.

He was already shaking his head. There was no way he could return to a reality other than this one…no way he would risk becoming the monster he'd been in AIDA's framework. Here he was grounded. Here was real. Here was…Jemma Simmons, his soul mate…the only woman he would ever love even if he could never tell her that again. "No, no I cannot do that. How would it be for some strange man to just show up in the Coulson's living room looking for their child's computer?" Fitz imagined himself being dragged off by the police as some computer lurking pedophile. The thought terrified him.

"He's right," Daisy smirked. "Coulson'd probably deck him right there on the good rug." She threw a mock punch at the man who did not react.

"You can do it." Jemma said to Daisy with a broad smile.

"I don't even know where the computer is and I'm pretty sure Skye doesn't either. If I'm not mistaken Melinda threatened to take it to the office with her for a couple weeks." Daisy shrugged.

"But Fitz said the time is slowed down, practically identical to ours. A whole day hasn't yet passed for the frame work. You can get the laptop before Skye's mother takes it away." Jemma proposed.

"You don't understand, Jemma. I'm ten in there, about four feet tall. If I know Melinda Mommy she's got it stashed on the top shelf in that hall closet. How do you propose I get it?" Daisy shook her head.

"It is a shame you can't just be yourself there." Jemma sighed. "But with Coulson and May with you it shouldn't be hard to get their help. Once May realizes what's at stake I'm sure she'll let you have the laptop so you can correct whatever needs correcting. All we have to do is fill them in on it." Jemma smiled at her idea and started for the door.

"Jemma!" Daisy stopped her. "I don't think they…they're a little busy with something right now. Maybe we shouldn't bother them."

Before Jemma could react to her friend's odd behavior, Fitz interrupted. "What if there was a way to switch you again?" He asked Daisy.

"Hell, no!" Daisy squeaked. "You have no idea how hard it is to be ten."

"Oh, Fitz, Skye was terrified when she was here. I don't think we should put her through that again." Jemma shuddered at the thought.

"No, no, I mean physically switch you. Send you there and bring little Skye here. You get the laptop make the corrections and we switch back. It should only take a few hours. We won't even need Coulson and May." Fitz proposed.

"Aside from the fact that that is physically and virtually impossible, Coulson and May have made it perfectly clear how they feel about me going in there on my own. I'm not really sure I can go another round with Wakatta." Daisy shook her head.

"What what-ka?" Jemma grimaced.

"Don't ask," Daisy sighed then turned to Fitz. "I believe you can add my avatar, full grown to your program but there's no way you can bring Skye here. We'd both exist at the same time in the same reality. Won't that do something to the timesy-whimesy thing that holds it all together? Isn't there some unwritten law about two versions of the same thing existing together? I mean in all those science fiction movies it is strictly forbidden. Won't we spontaneously combust or something?"

"That's why I'll bring Skye here. Jemma can keep her sedated for a few hours. As soon as you…"

"No!" Jemma protested, causing Fitz to turn toward her and Daisy to jump. "I will not drug a small child, Fitz. This is insane. You can't even be sure you can get your program to run, how can you even propose such a crazy plan. What if you can't get her out or even worse can't get them back or they contract whatever horrid virus they had the last time? This is out of the question Fitz and I refuse to have anything to do with it."

"It does seem a little sketchy, Fitz." Daisy agreed.

"The program is running fine. Nothing is out of whack except the time constraint or lack of it. I can add to it without a problem." He argued.

"It's too much of a risk Fitz, you could kill both of them." Jemma countered.

"Stop," Daisy held up a hand. "I'll do it. Just send me in. I get the damn computer somehow and flick it back on." She let out a long breath and headed for the gurney she used to flip in and out of Fitz Land. "Probably end up with another dose of Melinda Mommy's ass blaster. But what the hell, at least you two will stop arguing." She slipped the headpiece on and laid back on the pillow folding her hands over her midsection.

Fitz and Jemma exchanged glances, both speechless as they stared at the girl.

A moment later Daisy lifted her hand and spread her arms, "Well? Let's get this over with."

Jemma hurried to Daisy's side and began attaching leads to the monitors. "Are you sure about this?" She asked quietly as Fitz began clicking keys and bringing the system to ready mode.

"Nope," Daisy answered honestly. "I've never had parents to disobey and now I'm defying all four of them. Between Skye and me, I predict a least two…livid mothers aiming for the target I'm painting on my backside. So let's do this before I change my mind."

Jemma attached the last lead and nodded to Fitz who tapped one last key. Daisy's eyes closed slowly as she drifted into the black abyss that would become her alternate reality.


	39. Chapter 39 - Now You Got Me

**Chapter 39**

 **Now You Got Me…**

Daisy breathed in the scent of her pillow and pulled the comforter closer. She'd never slept in such a comfortable bed or one that smelled so good for that matter. It made her want to snuggle farther into its comfort and turn away from the first rays of sunlight streaming into the room. She pulled the bedding up around her ears and ignored the fact that the morning light was actually streaming. Letting out a soft breath, she stretched her arms and legs as far as they would reach then pulled them back into a tight ball and curled into the mattress that fit like a glove. She barely reacted to a soft knock on the door.

"Lái ba, Skye. Xiànzài shì xǐng jué de shíhòule. Zǎocān jiāng hěn kuài zhǔnbèi hǎo." A soft male voice called.

"Five minutes," Daisy pleaded in a grumbly voice from under the blanket.

"Nǐ hǎo ma, Skye? Nǐ tīng qǐlái bu xiàng nǐ zìjǐ." The voice was closer, just outside.

Daisy's eyes shot open, suddenly wide awake. She recognized the voice as she sat up quickly, blinking as she glanced around the little girl's familiar room.

"No…no, Yeye, I'm fine…just a little…ummm, graaa…aahh…sleepy." She cleared her throat a few times waiting anxiously for his response. He was right outside the door. Daisy could see the shadow of his shoes where it met the carpet and hear him shuffling there.

"Breakfast will be ready when you come to the kitchen, sūnnǚ." Daisy could tell he was moving away as his voice faded.

She let out a sigh and ran a hand through hair then dropped both hands down on the mattress and looked around the room again. Taking a deep breath she tugged the blankets from her feet and tossed her legs over the edge of the bed, startled when they hit the floor with a sharp thump. Daisy cringed at the soft pain and reached to massage her calves.

"What the…" the comment dropped as she stared at the light purple cotton PJ's that stretched around her knees and the waist band that barely reached her hips. Holding out her arms she found the matching sleeves stopped just above her elbows and a bodice that wrapped around her upper body much like a poor fitting sports bra. Untangling herself from the bed clothes, she stumbled to the floor and moved awkwardly to the dresser reaching a hand back as the seam on her tight cotton bloomers surrendered to the stress of covering a much too large body.

Stepping on a bright pink Lego, Daisy swore under her breath and limped the last few feet to the mirror, dropping both arms on the dresser and peered at her one hundred percent adult Daisy reflection.

"Oh, shit, Fitz, what did you do?" She asked her image, then felt weak in the knees as she sagged a bit and spun around hoping to see her little self giggling at the 'window' in the seat of her pants or the very bad fit of her night clothes. The room was empty…quiet…still. For a moment she pictured herself pulling the blankets from the bed, dropping to her knees to peer under the bed then ripping open the closet door and pushing the clothing aside to find that little troublemaker hiding there, waiting to pounce out and laugh until she could barely breathe. But, it was all in her mind…she knew she would not find her little self anywhere in this room or this house…or this reality. "Damn it, Fitz." She hissed through her teeth.

Daisy paced across the floor, nibbling on a thumbnail. "Okay, okay…" she told herself. "This shouldn't be a problem. Just get the laptop, restart the program and wait for Fitz to zap me out of here." She looked up at her reflection again, now from across the room, getting a full view of the ridiculous outfit she wore. "Jeeeezzz, you couldn't imagine I'd need something a little more my size? Damn it, Fitz, how did you think I'd fit into Skye's clothes and what the hell did you think I'm going to wear!?" She growled in a low whisper.

"Skye, you have not gone back to sleep I hope. We have many errands to run today." Yeye called from the bottom of the stairs.

Daisy stopped, trying desperately to hear little Skye's voice in her head. Oh, crap, it was her voice anyway, just a little higher pitched. She cleared her throat twice and tried a voice that sounded like some chipmunky cartoon, let out a disgusted huff and tried again managing a slightly less helium sounding timbre. Damn, this was not going to be easy but she had to do something before he came up those stairs looking.

"Think, think, think…" Daisy told herself turning back and forth quickly.

It came to her in a flash. She pulled open the door and made it to the bathroom in three long strides. Closing the door she flipped the latch and almost slid across the floor to turn on the shower full force. The water splashed against the tile and ricocheted across the room before she could pull the curtain across the tub. The tap on the door came a second later.

"Skye?" Yéyé's voice sounded a combination of confused and surprise. "What are you doing, sūnnǚ?"

"Taking a shower…" Daisy replied in a higher pitched voice, standing with her head just inside the curtain to mask the goofiness of the sound. She shrugged, grimacing at what a dopey question the man had asked.

"On a Saturday?" The man laughed. "Are you sure you are not ill, sūnnǚ?" He asked again around a chuckle. "To take a shower without being asked so early in the day does not seem like something my granddaughter would do? I do not think you are yourself today."

Daisy rolled her eyes. "If you only knew," she whispered into the water jet.

"Very well, child." She could tell he was still laughing. "Breakfast can wait, but do not dally, little one. I want to get to the market early today."

"Okay, Yéyé…" she called over the sound of the shower, then pulled her head from inside the stall and tiptoed to the door, listening for his footsteps as he moved away and started down the stairs. Daisy let out a relieved breath. She was going to have a long talk with her little self about the value of daily showers.

Unlatching the door, she peeked through the opening crack and waited a moment before squeezing out and sliding along the wall to the door of her…or Skye's parents' bedroom. There had to be something in May's closet she could borrow. She pushed open the door and slipped inside closing it behind her. Going through someone's personal space was not something new to Daisy. Hell, it was part of the job…but digging around in May's, or in this case Melinda's, stuff was kinda sacrilegious. She shook off the feeling as she pulled a pair of black leggings and a dark sweater from two different drawers then yanked open the closet and snagged a pair of boots. One last cringe brought her to a small drawer. She breathed a sigh of relief spotting an unopened package of brand new panties. She poked a hole in the plastic and pulled out the first pair, grabbed a pair of socks and started for the door then stopped and listened again, but heard only the sound of the shower.

Daisy stepped into the hall and pulled the door closed then tiptoed back toward the bathroom, slamming herself against the wall when Yeye called from the base of the stairs.

"Skye! Fifteen minutes is more than enough time to shower! You must finish and come to breakfast."

The girl froze for a moment before dashing the last few feet into the bathroom, clicking the door shut, locking it and falling back against it with a relieved sigh. Daisy collected herself in a moment and struggled to pull off the much too small pajamas, finally resorting to ripping the seams and pulling the torn garments from her arms and legs. She rolled them into a ball and set them on the counter before actually slipping into the shower and washing quickly. Five minutes later she tied the last boot and stood in front of the full length mirror on the back of the door admiring her mother's taste in clothing. She smoothed her hands down both sides of the slick black outfit and smiled her approval.

"SKYE!" Yeye's call was now more of an order.

"Geez," Daisy sighed in a snarky whisper. "Gimme a break, will ya."

There was no way she was going to explain herself or go down those stairs. There was also no way Yeye would go anywhere and leave Skye at home alone.

"Alone…" Daisy repeated her last thought aloud. "Alone…Yeye is doing all the ordering and he's the only one I've heard…" She let out a strangled breath. Where was Mommy-May? Where was Coulson? And where the hell was that computer? If they'd gone to work…the office…the base…then May took it with her. She drummed her fingers on the counter and stared at her adult self in the mirror for a moment before grabbing the shredded PJ's and hurrying back to Skye's bedroom.

xx

Daisy's eyes had barely closed when the program whirred into action and the room began vibrating. It was slow at first, more like a hum that anything else. It rose in pitch until small items shivered and shimmied across tables and desks. Jemma watched as Daisy's vitals bounced with the hum and feared the young inhuman's powers might be reacting badly to entering the program so soon after leaving it. She looked to Fitz, who was frantically tapping at the keyboard and alternately looking up at the screen and over his shoulder at the gurney that held their friend. Holding on to the edge of that gurney she braced herself as the room began to bounce and the lights blinked.

"Fitz!" Jemma cried. "Bring her out, please. If we lose power, she'll…Fitz!" Jemma pleaded. If the vibrations blew the power source, Jemma knew that Daisy would be lost.

"Relax, Jemma," Fitz called over the racket. "All of the computers have their own power source." He assured her.

The lights flickered once again then grew to a blinding brightness as the vibrations shook so aggressively Jemma lost her balance and dropped to the floor without losing her grip on the gurney. She knelt along its side, wrapping her fingers to white knuckle around the frame as her teeth slammed together and she set her jaw to avoid slicing her own tongue. The woman squeezed her eyes shut and prepared for the collapse of the room around her that never came. The vibrations slowed to a stop as the light dimmed back to a normal brightness.

Jemma remained in a kneeling position, still grasping the gurney's frame as she opened her eyes slowly and watched Fitz pick himself up from the floor and set his chair upright. He stepped toward her but she pulled herself to her feet ready to tear into him for his recklessness. She opened her mouth ready to roar her indignation but stopped at the look of satisfaction on his face. She followed his gaze to the gurney and in a reaction that was definitely not Jemma Simmons, let out a shrill scream.

xx

Coulson led May through the dark corridors of the base, heading for the basement door that lead to the cell that held Ward for months…saved Daisy's from Lady Sif and provided a prison for Bakshi as well as others in the time before the frame hell. May almost laughed at the thought of this being what he described as a fall out shelter until he continued under the stairs and slid open a small panel, punched in a code and pressed his thumb on a small scanner. A soft swoosh preceded the wall opening to a metal staircase that spiraled into a dark abyss.

He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "Don't worry, it's pressure sensitive." He put his weight on the first step igniting a light that wound down to a platform twenty feet below. "Trust me?" He asked. She laughed through her nose once…like he had to ask…and stepped behind to follow him down.

Their footsteps clanked empty echoes in the hollow chamber until they reached the floor below. The light extinguished as they stepped off the stairs leaving only a soft blue haze at their feet on the deck where they stood.

"Sixties, huh." May huffed with a shake of her head.

"Top tech," he retorted but could not see her roll her eyes in the darkness.

They walked twenty paces as the blue haze followed their steps, leaving the area behind them in total blackness. It flooded up the wall when they stopped like a tropical cocktail filling a tall glass. May watched as it reached eye level then continued a foot above her head.

Coulson pressed his hand against a panel he must have known was there as it had no apparent distinction from the rest of the wall. Elevator doors opened without a sound, revealing a small car. The same soft blue haze lit the floor, ceiling and corners. They stepped inside and the doors closed. There was a gentle bump and if the car was moving, May could not feel it.

A few seconds later the door reopened to yet another black abyss that disappeared into a blinding light when Coulson stepped out of the car. Both stood for a moment allowing their eyes to adjust.

"It was built to house the top operatives and possibly the administration should the worse happen." Coulson explained as they began walking down the long corridor. They paused at a double glass door that opened admitting them into a short hallway that ended in a second set of doors. May sensed more than heard the soft hiss that surrounded them.

"Pressure seal," Coulson explained a few seconds before the hissing stopped and the second set of glass doors unlatched then opened. He smiled at her and held out a hand motioning for them to proceed.

They walked in silence for a few minutes as lights came to life with each of their steps. Darkened glass windows and doors lined both sides of the wide hallway. May assumed each would erupt into light should they open a door and step inside. They rounded a corner and headed down a short ramp then another turn and into a narrower corridor. Coulson stopped at the end of the hallway, standing in front of a wider than normal door, sans a door knob or any handle that might allow entrance. He smiled at May and waggled his eyebrows causing her to snort and turn away.

Placing his hand on the door where any normal portal would display a knob or handle of some sort, Coulson smiled as a deep red sensor came alive and slid up and down the length of his hand three times before emitting a soft beep a second before a small circular screen appeared and blinked rapidly. The man leaned forward and looked into the circle, blinked a few times then stepped back as the door released with a soft puff of cool air.

"If you try to carry me over the threshold, I'll knock you senseless…" May deadpanned as she looked sideways and up at him with only her eyes.

Coulson chuckled then pushed the door open fully and motioned for her to enter. May shook her head and stepped in front of him into the dark room. It remained dark.

"Hmph, no light tricks here?" She snorted.

"Just the regular kind," he smiled as he flipped a switch and threw the suite into light.

May stood for a moment, merely staring at the large room. Despite the decades old furnishings and decorations, it was bright, clean and more than ample. She almost laughed at the pseudo window complete with ceiling to floor drapes that filled one wall. A soft yellow light shone around it's perimeter and she was sure if opened it would display some mock vision of the outside world, complete with sunlight and more than likely moonlight to match.

The sofa, chairs and various tables and lamps gave her the impression of an older hotel in Paris or Rome, deep in gold flake filigree and dark rich shades of red. To the right was a kitchen area with a full size refrigerator and stove, probably top of the line for the late fifties…early sixties. If it had been stocked at the same time she was definitely not going to be the one to open it. A small wooden table and chairs set in the center of the small area that reminded her of the kitchen set in her childhood home. On the opposite wall was a large double door that she was sure led to the bedroom.

Coulson had moved to the bar just inside the door and set two glasses on the marble counter top. He twisted the top off a bottle and tilted it toward her. "It's not _the_ bottle we planned to open, but it's well aged." He looked at the date and nodded as he pursed his lips. "Sixty-one," he laughed, "a bit older too, but what the hell." He poured both glasses and held one out to her.

She took it with a half smile. "You think this is gonna make up for the other bottle and _'her'_?" She asked with a raised brow.

He took a small sip from his own glass, gave a curt nod and tossed it back. He swallowed feeling the heat of it run from the back of his throat to his ears and all the way down then tapped the glass back to the counter and filled it again. He smiled at her as he held it out to click it against the portion she had not yet sampled. "That," he winked at her glass, "and a few other things."

She clinked her glass against his, drank the amber liquid in one swallow then held out the glass for him to refill. "Mmmmm," she teased as she turned and took a few steps away from him. She tapped the side of the glass with one finger then took a small sip. "We've been living in that rubble upstairs and you've been sitting on this?" She turned back and raised one eyebrow waiting for his reply.

Coulson smiled and shook his head. He'd been expecting this. "No one's been down here for years. Place was only used once. There's actually a war room one level down." He pointed toward the door. "After that it was sealed and pretty much forgotten, no big need to duck and cover during the cold war."

"But you knew it was here?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Ran across the file in Fury's box a few years back. Fascinated me, so I took a little tour…just out of curiosity." He explained at her look.

"Explains how you knew how to bypass all the security," May huffed as she tossed back the last of her drink and set the glass on the bar.

Coulson stared into his reflection cast on the amber liquid in his glass. "That and as Director and a little flip of a couple switches it would answer only to me." He shrugged a little, depressed at the fact that most of that mattered very little now. He took a deep breath and threw back the last of his drink, swallowed and poured another. "The place is in pretty good shape. It was built to last a nuclear war and the fallout after. I'm sure there's enough food supplies, probably dry goods or K-rations in the storage areas but the thought of bringing everyone down here was so…final."

May moved closer and placed her hand over his. He looked so defeated in that moment staring at her hand on his.

"If Talbot decided to plow this place under…we would be buried and no one would be looking for us." He continued.

Letting out a soft laugh at the irony, May shook her head and rubbed her thumb across the back of his hand.

Coulson laughed the same laugh. "Okay, so yeah, they'd keep looking but they'd never find us and well, if we didn't end up killing each other, we'd last about five years and…"

"Daisy would never have let that happen, Phil." May spoke softly.

He nodded as she stepped closer and slid her hand to his chest. "I wouldn't want her responsible for that, May. The decisions that would be made…the risks…" He shook his head as he set down his glass and wrapped both arms around her. "She's been through enough."

May laid her head on his chest and nodded her agreement. Daisy had taken on more than her share in the last few years. After a few moments she felt him take a deep breath.

"This place should be our last resort, May…the final stand I hope we never have to take, but tonight…just tonight, it's our retreat. A couple hours of something normal…something for us…not saving the world or fighting the good fight…just being you and me together…the way we can't be anywhere else."

She looked up at him and smiled, taking a step backward while wrapping her hand around his. She smiled a soft, gentle smile and tugged him forward slowly, still stepping in reverse and never breaking eye contact. When he began to follow she turned and headed for the large double doors. As she turned the knob they felt a soft rumble go through the room and paused waiting to hear or feel more.

May looked to Coulson, her daughter's name on her lips but his soft smile stopped her. "Subway runs about two hundred feet south, started shaking the place in seventy-six…another little drawback."

She pushed open the door and smiled at the large double bed, again reminding her of a posh European hotel out of some Bond movie. May turned back and offered him a smoky smile as she hooked one finger in the neck of his shirt and tugged him forward. "Nothing like a little vibration to make things more interesting."

Coulson stepped with her, eyes widening at her suggestion as their lips came together and they sunk slowly down onto the bed.

xx

"Have you totally lost your mind?" Jemma demanded.

Fitz ran his hands along both sides of his head and smiled broadly, barely able to breathe normally. "I don't believe it; it worked…it actually worked." He bent forward placing his hands on his thighs and drew several cleansing breaths then stood and took a few steps away spun back and returned reaching out to…

"Don't!" Jemma squawked as she slapped his hand away. She quickly checked the vital statistics that bleeped on the screen above. Making adjustments for the change she relaxed slightly realizing they read in normal values. She glared at him as she pulled a light blanket from the shelf beneath the gurney then tucked it around the patient on it.

"Jemma," he squeaked, sounding like a school boy who'd pulled off the best prank in history. "Jemma, look at this. It worked. It's amazing…brilliant…impossible but right here…right here in front of us." The young man slowly laid his hand on the sleeping patient just to be sure he was not imagining her presence…just to be sure she was more than just an illusion.

Again the doctor slapped his hand away. He glared and she doubled the glare right back. "Don't touch her!" She stepped around the gurney and poked him hard in the shoulder. "What were you thinking?! Amazing? _Amazing?_ Asinine is more apropos. How could you? Do you realize the ramifications of this…this stupid, _stupid_ bit of moronic undertaking?" She poked him several times throughout her tirade, causing him to raise both hands in defense.

"But, Jemma, look at her. She's here. She's whole and healthy right before our eyes." His smile remained despite her attempt to knock it from him.

"I will be the judge of how healthy she is!" She barked at him as she turned toward her patient, a little girl clad in much too large pajamas. Turning back she narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice. "And your health will be what is in jeopardy when Coulson finds out about this." She warned him. Then smiled her own smile, "and that's only if May doesn't get to you first."

The smile finally left his face.

xx

May rested her head on Coulson's bare chest, listening to the steady thump of his heart just below the massive blight that scarred its center. She relaxed into the gentle rhythm of his hand as he ran it methodically through her hair. His opposite hand lay on her back simply resting in place just as hers rested on his thigh drawing tiny circles that occasionally sent a shiver through him and caused her to smile.

"It's been a long time since Paris," he broke the silence with a whispered comment.

She let out a small laugh. "If you're worried about giving Daisy a little sister, you can relax. That ship has sailed."

He dropped both arms around her and pulled her close, bringing her to face him. "And yet you haven't lost your touch or your…" he paused searching for the right word… "abilities," he smiled.

May smiled back then pressed her lips against his. He pulled her close, kissing her lips…her jaw…her neck and collar bone. She laughed a silent laugh and he paused, turning up one side of his mouth in a quizzical smile. "You're still pretty good yourself," she grinned, "and just as nerdy."

This time Coulson laughed as he pulled her to his chest and ran both hands down her back to the tops of her thighs and then back with a feathery soft touch. She quivered beneath his touch as she slid her body on top of his and laid soft kisses across his clavicle feeling the same motion returned. Their bodies joined in perfect harmony for the third time since they had shed their clothing and relaxed into the bed as if it were something they'd done every night for decades.

Breaking contact slowly with the same kiss that brought them together, Coulson curled to his side with May cuddled back against him. He wrapped his arms around her, resting his cheek against hers. She in turn wrapped her arms around his and relaxed into his embrace. For a moment May felt a twinge of regret. She'd never felt this way with Andrew. Their time together was satisfying and she did enjoy the time they spent in each other's arms, but it was not like this. It was not perfect, not intense and serene at the same time. They never fit together like she did with Coulson.

"The room's covered for the night, so we can keep each other company as long as we please," he teased and smiled into her hair.

May huffed a little, having caught her breath and felt her heart return to normal rhythm. "Are all the rooms like this? It's a bit extravagant for a bunker."

"Presidential Suite," he breathed. "Thought you deserved the best."

"Hmmmm," was her only reply as she elbowed his ribs.

"Rumor has it, it was used only once…" he began.

"October sixty-two," she finished and almost laughed at his silence, knowing he was ticked at her doing so.

"Carter escorted POTUS here, herself. They were here until the crisis was resolved." He smiled at his knowledge of the incident¹.

"Hope they changed the sheets," she deadpanned.

"Pretty sure they didn't get much sleep while they were here. It was a pretty intense situation." He spoke slowly, snuggling closer.

"Sure it was," she smiled, feeling his slow steady breathing behind her. May patted the hand she held and allowed her eyes to close. Here, with the man she'd loved for as long as she could remember, here she would sleep without nightmares or terrifying memories. She let the anger that kept her fears at bay slip away and drifted into the blackness of sleep.

xx

Daisy paced back and forth across Skye's room. It would only be a matter of minutes before Yeye was knocking at that door again. This time she was sure that knock would only precede his entering and finding a granddaughter he did not recognize.

The window…it was her only escape. She crossed the room and pushed up the sash realizing only then that the world in this reality was still covered in almost two feet of snow. "Damn," she growled under her breath as she lowered the window and turned at the sound of her grandfather once again calling from the first floor. If she were going to get out, get to the base and grab that computer, she'd need a coat and that meant a trip to that rotten closet under the stairs.

The bedroom door opened seconds after Daisy slid under the bed and pulled herself against the wall. She slowed her breathing and forced herself to relax as she watched his feet in the doorway.

"Skye, I do not have time to struggle with your antics this morning. We must…" The man paused looking around the room for the child he addressed. He shook his head and let out a quiet breath then stepped to the door down the hall. Knocking firmly he again addressed his granddaughter. "Skye, you have had more than enough time to prepare yourself for the day. I must insist you finish your task and come out now."

Daisy slid out from beneath the bed and moved with stealth to the door her grandfather had left ajar. She peeked around the frame at the man's back as he barked at the child who was not there. Turning toward the stairs she wondered for a split second if she could be down them before he would notice her. There really was no time to second guess. Daisy pushed herself into the hall and slipped down the stairs without a sound. She let out the breath she was holding when she stood in front of the closet door.

"Skye, I have reached the breaking point. I am coming in." She heard Yéyé's soft growl now above her and pulled the closet door open just as he did the same with the bathroom door.

There was no time to be picky. Daisy grabbed the first jacket she found and threw it around her shoulders and pushed her arms through the sleeves. She skirted down the hall, into the kitchen and out the backdoor. The walk was shoveled but a fine layer of new snow covered most of it. Daisy followed the trail to the driveway and stood for a moment staring at the black jeep parked there. She shrugged once wondering if borrowing your parents' car could be considered grand larceny. Hell, she was going to return it and HELL, HELL, HELL this place wasn't even real and where the _HELL_ was Skye. She marched around the vehicle, pulled open the door and yanked down the ignition wires beneath the steering column. It took a few seconds to start the car and a few more to back out of the driveway.

William May stood in the empty bathroom, the lecture he planned for his dawdling granddaughter now pointless. He pulled the shower curtain aside, noticing the still wet tile and washcloth that hung on the small rod over the soap dish. Feeling the two towels that hung on the wall wrack he was satisfied they had been used. The man moved back to the bedroom and called to the child again, this time moving all the way into the room. He pulled the pile of blankets on the bed aside expecting the little girl to be curled beneath waiting to spring up and surprise him, although right now he was less than amused.

"This is not amusing Skye. I do not have time for hide and seek." Yéyé's normally gentle demeanor was slowly slipping away. "Sūnnǚ, wǒ hěn shēngqì. Nǐ jiāng yīncǐ xíngwéi shòudào chéngfá. Yěxǔ nǐ de zǔmǔ shì zhèngquè de, nǐ yīnggāi wèi zhè zhǒng mièshì ér āidǎ." William's was angry, warning his granddaughter in the language he knew she understood. He had had enough and the threat of punishment was real. He dropped to his knees and peered under the bed, slapping one hand on the floor. Continuing his rant in his native tongue he searched the closet then marched down the hall, warning the girl that she had better not be in her parents' room. That search and the search of the master bath yielded no giggling, soon to be weeping Skye. William returned to the little girl's room. He stood for a moment before recognizing the bundle of clothing on the dresser. He shook his head at his granddaughter's carelessness and snatched the pajamas and shook them out. The shredded strips fell to the floor.

William felt a cold flush run over his body. He turned and hurried down the stairs hoping Skye had slipped to the kitchen while he was searching. As he turned from the stairs he stood staring at the open closet door. No, it had not been open when he climbed the steps to roust his granddaughter. Approaching slowly he pushed it fully open and looked at the hanger poking up at an odd angle, no garment hung there.

"Skye?" He called softly, pushing aside the heavy coats stored in the large closet. "This is not funny, sunnu." Again he warned, suspecting the child had moved into the recess of the storage portal, but felt no sense of her presence. William pushed the door closed and tried to swallow the mounting apprehension.

He moved to the kitchen and stood in the doorway looking in all directions. A cool draft wafted over his slipper covered feet bringing his attention to the back door that gently bumped against its frame. William knew it was tricky. If it was not pulled tightly closed with a hard twist of the knob, it would not latch properly. Even Skye was always carefully to make sure the door was properly closed before skipping off to whatever mischief she planned. The man walked the length of the room and wrapped his hand around the cold door knob, pulling it open and peering out at the light dusting of snow on the deck and walkway. His eyes followed the large boot prints, much too large for his small granddaughter, from the door to the driveway.

It took a few seconds for William to realize that his car was gone. He stood in the doorway trying to make sense of what was happening. What had happened? _Where_ was Skye?

The man thought back through his movements throughout the morning. He'd said goodbye to his daughter and her husband a little more than an hour ago then cleared away their dishes, washing cups and emptying the coffee pot. He'd mixed a batch of pancake batter to prepare breakfast for himself and Skye, read the newspaper and completed the Jumble puzzle he did each morning. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but at some point had someone entered the house…someone who…

His mind could not form the thought. He blinked a few times knowing it had only begun snowing lightly when he went up the stairs to finally get Skye to come to the table. The walk had been clear when Melinda and Phil left earlier. Even if the snow had been on the walkway then there would be two sets of prints and it would be covered with new snow by this time. The man stepped back and slammed the door fully closed, twisting the knob quickly to latch it without a second thought. He turned with the intention of searching the house for the child he already knew he would not find. The thought of the shredded pajamas on the dresser in Skye's room formed in his mind.

William May was not a man to panic. He remained calm throughout the ups and downs of his marriage and the antics of his own daughter. His mind now spun with the steps he must take and he reached for the phone. His first instinct was to call his daughter…to tell her…no, that was not the wisest choice. He held the receiver to his ear and pressed three numbers. The call was answered before the first ring completed.

"9-1-1…what is your emergency?" A calm female voice responded.

William spoke calmly and clearly, "I believe my granddaughter has been taken."

¹Cuban Missile Crisis - The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis, the Caribbean Crisis, or the Missile Scare, was a 13-day confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union – October 16 – 28, 1962, President John F. Kennedy


	40. Chapter 40 - I Was Somplace Else

**Chapter 40**

 **I Was Someplace Else**

Daisy sat in her 'borrowed' car, drumming her fingers softly on the steering wheel. She was at least a mile from the Playground. It wouldn't be hard to walk the rest of the distance and probably wise to leave the car at least this distance from where she needed to be. Walking through the streets here would not be a problem. No one would recognize her since she really didn't exist…well not like this…yet. She considered wiping the wheel and door handles but it wasn't really necessary. _She didn't exist here_. That meant no fingerprints anywhere…unless they caught her but that wasn't going to happen.

Fifteen minutes later, the young girl stood in front of the entrance to what they referred to as the Playground. She wondered for a moment if, in fact, this was the current base. After all, she and team hadn't used it until about three years ago. She had no idea where SHIELD would have been based more than ten years ago. Neither Coulson nor May ever talked about the 'old days'. The base would certainly be here. Peggy Carter built the place in the forties. Worse case scenario she walks into an empty, cobweb covered warehouse.

She walked around the large red brick building, hitting the panel that would open the keypad and allow her entrance. She tapped the keys and said a silent prayer that the code was still the same. The soft whoosh of air that followed let her know the door had released. She pushed it open and slipped inside before it snapped shut. A short walk down a dim hallway led her to a second door. Apparently Fitz had designed it to the specs of the current base because she was sure handprint scanners did not exist when she was just a kid. She never really considered that Fitz had put her re-life into the time it actually happened and if that was so she thought for a minute…it had to be about 2002 in this reality. Hell, she didn't know if this tech existed then or what would happen if she put her hand on it. Daisy turned and walked back toward the door she had just entered already knowing it would not open from this side. She could take the chance and use the scanner or just stay here until they came and took her into custody.

"DAMN," Daisy growled out loud then spun back and slapped her hand against the panel.

A dark red line passed up and then down, before the door clicked and opened to the stairs that wound down to the next level where an elevator door opened and took her the several levels that lead to the base. She hurried down another flight of stairs and pushed open the door at the bottom then passed through the motor pool that held several black cars. At the far end she put her palm on a second panel that flashed red and then green. A gravelly male voice announced 'Daisy Johnson' as she passed through the short hall and waited for the blast door to open.

"Well, you get a point for that, Fitz but I'm still gonna kick your ass when I get back." She whispered under her breath as she smiled at a man who nodded when he walked by quickly. "Okay, so it's not empty…" she said to herself as she moved toward what she hoped was the lab.

"Can I help you?" A very familiar voice growled from behind.

Daisy froze then turned to face Melinda May…Skye's Melinda May. "Hi," she started then rolled her eyes realizing how stupid that was. "I'm a…new here." She put out her hand. "Daisy…Daisy Johnson." She smiled at the stern face of the May that was not _her_ mother.

Melinda stared for a moment, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back on one leg. "No one said anything about a new agent." She narrowed her eyes at the younger agent.

"Ah, yeah, well I'm a not really new," Daisy felt the sweat roll down her back. "Not here, I'm not…just in town for a few days on a little retrieval mission. I'll be outta here before you know it." She smiled at the Melinda May she knew did not believe one word of that.

For a moment Melinda stared at the girl, that kind of stare that means 'don't I know you from somewhere'. She narrowed her eyes again, dropped her arms and turned away. Daisy stood and watched then turned to retreat in the opposite direction.

"Hey!" Melinda's voice bellowed.

Daisy stopped and turned back slowly.

"This way," she commanded and began walking again. Daisy let out an angry breath and followed.

xx

Jemma pulled the stethoscope from her ears and tucked it into her lab coat pocket then pulled a thermometer from the opposite side and held it to the little girl's forehead until it beeped quietly. Satisfied all was as normal as it could be she once again turned on Fitz.

"What were you thinking?" She asked for the tenth time since this insanity began.

"I was thinking about what Daisy said about two versions of the same person existing at in the same time and space." He shot back. "It's like physics, Jemma. It is physically impossible for two forms of matter to occupy the same place at the same time. All I could think about was the Pauli Exclusion Principle. It says two identical fermions cannot occupy the same quantum state. If they were to touch, physically squeeze into that same space it could cause a nuclear reaction. I couldn't take that risk, Jemma."

"Don't be ridiculous, Fitz. They've been in the same place for weeks." Simmons countered.

"No, Jemma, not physically…Daisy never _physically_ manifested in this framework. She never let herself become Skye, just stood back and observed. Even the other avatars could not see her unless she, as she put it, was in charge in the form of her younger self." He stepped closer to a stoic Jemma. "Don't you see? There was no such thing as being _in charge_. When Daisy let herself become Skye she _was_ the avatar." He tried to explain by slipping his outspread fingers together.

"So you solve that by bringing this child here? You know how upset she was the last time and she was full grown then." Jemma argued. "And how, _how_ , Fitz did you manage this manifestation? Is she even really here and where is Daisy's body, Fitz?" She moved around the gurney to face him. "Bring her back, right now!" She jammed her finger into the soft mattress on the gurney.

"Okay, okay…" he tried to placate the woman as he reached to place his hands on her shoulders. Jemma pulled away with a scowl. Fitz put his hands on his hips and studied the floor before letting out a long breath. "All Daisy has to do is turn on the program and I'll have them both back where they belong. They'll be back in their own realities before anyone realizes what's happened." He smiled.

"I already know what happened." Jemma growled then turned to Skye who let out a little moan. Simmons moved quickly to the little girl's side. The monitors above the child's bed beeped a few times as her waking rhythms took over the read outs. She reached up with one had to feel the head gear that encircled her. It was meant to fit Daisy and had slipped sideways on the Skye's head. She moved her head side to side before opening her eyes and stared into Jemma's.

"Shhh, shhh, shhh," Jemma crooned, smiling at the little girl. "It's okay, sweetheart. You remember me don't you?" She tried to calm the panic stricken look on the little girl's face.

Skye pushed herself up on her elbows, sliding off the head gear as she did. She looked from Jemma to Fitz and then back before looking all over the room and down at her saggy pajamas. "Again?" Her eyes filled with tears as her voice cracked. "I don't like it here. I don't like it." She shook her head and scrubbed away the tears that ran over her cheeks.

Jemma cautiously wrapped the little girl in a hug fully expecting her to disappear when touched. Fitz turned away and tapped the keys on his computer. He watched a quick blip jump on the screen before everything fell back into a normal rhythm. Breathing a sigh of relief he turned back to see Simmons glaring at him.

"It will only be a short time, sweetheart. I promise." Jemma relaxed as she tightened her embrace and attempted to console the child.

"Is Daisy here?" Skye sniffed from inside the embrace. "I tried to talk to her. I wanted to see if she was okay."

Jemma sneered at the man who shrugged his shoulders. "Ah, no, no Skye," Fitz explained. "Daisy is working…she's ahhh…she's got some things that need fixing."

"What about her mommy and daddy, are they here?" She sobbed. "Is her mommy as mad as mine?"

Jemma interjected before he could answer. The last thing they needed right now was Coulson and/or May strolling into the room. Hopefully, they had turned in for the night and wouldn't know a thing about this catastrophe. May was so angry after the last debacle she was sure Daisy would earn a lot more than an hour of sparring or training or whatever they wanted to call it.

"How about if you just stay here with Fitz and I for a little bit, sweetheart? He's getting ready right now to send you back to your own mum and dad." Jemma assured the little girl, brushing a stray hair from her eyes. She glared at the man on the opposite side of the gurney. "Aren't you Fitz?" She suggested through her teeth.

Fitz looked at her in disbelief for a moment before realizing she was merely trying to console the child. "Yes, yes, I just checked to make sure everything was working properly and I'm sure we can straighten all of this out straight away."

Skye let out a little sniffy laugh. "You sound like the people in Harry Potter." She sniffled. Fitz offered half a smile and turned back to his keyboard.

xx

Daisy took a few steps then froze as the ground beneath her rumbled and flash of blinding white pain passed behind her eyes. She threw both hands to the sides of her head and wrapped them in her hair squeezing as tightly as she could. For a moment she was sure she would be violently ill as her stomach churned. Her knees grew weak and she felt herself dissolving to the floor. Melinda had turned and was heading back to her in slow motion. Then just as quickly as it began, everything stopped…reset and the dizzying pain was gone.

"What the hell was that?" Melinda barked as she grabbed Daisy with one arm and snagged a passing agent with the other. The young man shook his head then hurried away when released.

Daisy steadied herself with one hand against the brick wall while Melinda held her up with the other. After a few seconds the older agent dragged the younger to a nearby bench and forced her to sit. Daisy nodded a thank you and wondered at the change in May's usually so sweet, but strict, mommy avatar. This Melinda made May look almost _'understanding'_.

"You alright?" Melinda asked more out of curiosity than concern.

Daisy nodded once with a whispered yeah and massaged her temples even though the pain was completely gone. She blinked a few times as she brought one hand down and flexed her fingers and wrist. Her powers had never manifested in the Fitzwork before, but then again, she'd never been fully…actually…physically here. Maybe this time they'd followed her but this was no time to test that theory and if that damn headache was part of the deal, she had absolutely no intention of finding out…ever.

Melinda yanked the girl to her feet. "Come on," she ordered as Daisy stumbled a bit then righted herself. "If you're gonna spend anytime here…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll need a lanyard," Daisy grumbled as she double stepped to keep up.

Melinda stopped, spun and glared at the younger agent. "A lan…what?"

Daisy thought quickly. "You don't use them here?" She asked with wide eyes, brows high. "Standard issue at Providence," the girl considered smiling, but Melinda's glare cut that short. There was no replay, simply a snort before Daisy was once again dragged down the busy hallway to a door she did not recognize nor remember.

Pushing it open, Melinda shoved the girl inside then stepped behind her and flicked at the light. The room was small and scarcely furnished. Two desks stood face to face in the center of the small space. Each had rather tech-savvy computer setups. She smiled at the Captain America figure on one of the desks. There was no doubt who shared this odd office space.

"Sit," the woman commanded, nodding toward a stark wooden chair against the far wall. Daisy obeyed, lowering herself into it while taking in everything in the area, something her mentor had drilled into her not so very long ago.

Most of the stuff was just routine office paraphernalia…pencils, pens, files and cabinets, swivel chairs and telephones with more than enough working lines…and one laptop adorned with one brilliant Lisa Frank sticker. Daisy lowered her face then covered it with one hand to hide the smile that spread across it. She recognized the artwork. She'd plastered that image on every notebook she owned at Skye's age. Of course, her notebooks were the paper kind with twisty metal spines filled with lined paper. It was a white unicorn emblazoned with a rainbow twisted horn surrounded by clouds and a myriad of colors. The animal sported a kaleidoscope of color that was its mane.

There was absolutely no doubt in her mind. That was it. Skye's computer was right there in plain sight…on Melinda's desk…with her seated inches away from it glaring that T-1000 stare right through Daisy. A very old fear mixed with a not so very old apprehension gripped the girl with icy fingers. She swallowed hard. All she had to do was flip that thing open, press the play icon and bam, Fitz could pull her out of here and leave Maylinda scratching her head.

But, despite everything Daisy could do…Melinda May was faster…so she'd just wait her out. The girl sat back in the very uncomfortable chair and watched as Melinda two finger tapped at the computer keyboard. She sniggered once turning it quickly into a cough when the woman cast her a sneer.

"Johnson," Melinda exhaled.

Daisy nodded, then realized she wasn't asking. She chewed her bottom lip, tapped one foot and looked away.

"I don't see anything here about an Agent Johnson being assigned here." She narrowed her eyes as she cast a sidelong glance at the girl.

Squirming a little in the chair, Daisy realized she was not putting forth her best impression but something about being grilled by May in any form melted any professionalism the girl had achieved. She cleared her throat as she brought herself upright in the chair. "Not…not assigned, no, no, no…just in town for a day. Had orders to check in…routine and all." She stood and brushed off the seat of her pants, quickly remembering her session with the Wakatta. She took a breath and continued. "So…if we're done here, I…"

"We're not," Melinda deadpanned as she ordered the girl to sit with just her eyes.

Daisy let out a frustrated sigh and dropped back into the chair. Melinda cast her a quick glance and brushed off the image of her daughter doing exactly the same thing in exactly the same way just a few days ago. The phone rang and the door slammed open against the wall at the same time.

Melinda slammed the speaker button as an ashen Phil almost fell into the room. William May's voice came from the phone. He spoke in Mandarin, but Daisy understood every word. She watched as the color drained from Melinda's face and the iron mask of the S.H.E.I.L.D. agent fell away. Phil was at her side in two strides, pulling her from her seat and wrapping his arms around her. Daisy stood but remained at a loss, unable to aid or comfort.

In true May fashion, Melinda pulled herself together. She looked at Daisy for a split second before hitting a button on her desk that pretty much did nothing. Daisy waited for a light or a claxon or at least a security guard to barge into the office but…nothing. Phil noticed her for the first time, but did not question her presence. He was not functioning as well as his wife. Daisy wouldn't expect him to be.

"Maybe…I should go…give you guys some space." She took a step toward the door and met two well manicured agents she did not recognize.

"Take her to holding," May said calmly, through her teeth. "I'll deal with her when I return."

The taller man nodded as they each took one of Daisy's arms and led her from the room. She looked over her shoulder as they took her away. Yéyé's voice had been chillingly calm, hauntingly hollow. He'd told her she needed to come home, that Skye was not in her room or anywhere in the house. He had called the authorities. The little girl was gone.

The two agents marched her down the hall. She did not resist, no sense causing an altercation and getting herself locked in some ancient jail cell. They passed the common room where agents had gathered around a small portable television. A picture of a smiling Skye showed on the screen. Daisy could not hear the announcer but the bright red flashing graphic below said it all…AMBER ALERT.

"Damn it, Fitz," she whispered under her breath as the agents led her around the corner.

xx

Melinda was out of the car before it stopped, across the front yard before Phil closed the door. A young S.H.E.I.L.D. agent stepped from the driver's seat but was unable to stop the couple before they rushed into their home. Two additional dark cars pulled into the Coulson's driveway in addition to the two squad cars at the curb.

Melinda rushed to her father who sat at the kitchen table surrounded by a bevy of busy officers, some in uniform and others in plain clothes. A group also gathered in the living room setting up what she knew was a way to trace any incoming calls. The woman who was clearly in charge approached her and laid a hand on Melinda's shoulder. She quickly shook it off and pushed her way through the crowd to her father.

"Baba," she breathed as he stood and took her into his arms. "Wǒ hěn bàoqiàn bàba. Nǐ bù yìng gāi yīgè rén zuò zhè yīqiè.¹"

"Bù, Mellie, wǒ hěn bàoqiàn. Yǒurén zǒu jìn fángzi ná zǒule wǒmen de Skye. Wǒ méiyǒu kàn dào huò tīng dào yī jiàn shì." The man claimed with so much sorrow he sounded hollow. "Zhè shì wǒ de cuò. Wǒ duì jiārén shībàile.²"

Phil had joined them placing a hand on his father-in-law's shoulder as well as his wife's. "This is not your fault, Will." He assured the man, not understanding the language but knowing he would blame himself. William shook his head.

The woman who had stood waiting for the family to console each other stepped forward. "Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Coulson?" At Phil's nod she extended her hand. "Jill Fox, I'm with the FBI. Is there somewhere we can speak?" Again, Phil nodded. He lead the woman, his wife and William into the parlor, where Agent Fox cleared the room of officers and other agents then invited the family to be seated.

Phil and William sat on either side of Melinda on the large sofa. Each held one of her hands. Fox sat on the wing-backed chair facing them. "Let me start by saying we are going to do everything in our power to get your daughter back safely."

Melinda shook her head. "We don't need your platitudes," she informed the woman. "We're well aware of procedure in these cases."

For a moment the FBI agent was speechless merely staring at the people before her. She shook her head once and started again. "We've been through the house with Mr. May. He seems to think something was taken from the hall closet, but we'll need you to do the same." She brought a sealed evidence bag from a case next to the chair and laid it on the coffee table. "This was found by your father in your daughter's room. Can you identify this garment?"

Melinda hid the small gasp that tried to escape her as Phil picked up the bag. She recognized Skye's pajamas immediately…or what was left of them. "It's Skye's." Phil grit his teeth trying not to imagine why the girl's clothing was left behind and was torn to shreds.

Realizing the fear in the man's voice, Fox continued. "There is no sign of struggle and no evidence of violence. We'll need you to verify what clothing of your daughter's is missing. It will help with a description. Mr. May has already supplied us with a recent photograph." She held up Skye's most recent school picture. Melinda nodded as she stood.

The agent stood as well, clearly confused by the distraught mother's action. "We don't have time for all this talk," Melinda almost growled. "I'll go through Skye's things and we will let you know if anything is missing." Phil stood and nodded, took Melinda's hand and headed for the stairs.

xx

May woke first. She remained still and quiet, listening to Coulson's soft snore. She smiled at the light stubble on his cheeks and chin…the way his thinning hair fell forward on his forehead. He was actually adorable in sleep. Smiling at the gradually soft growing light that snuck around the drapes on the fake window she cuddled a little closer and smiled again at his content sigh.

The ceiling wasn't much to look at, just the usual white two by four foot tiles separated by a thin metal strip. She rolled her eyes at the gaudy wallpaper sporting long lines of gold filigree pseudo-felt on a shiny background. Might have been all the rage in the sixties but right now it screamed cheesy hotel décor and she could not help the snicker that shook her body. Coulson stirred beside her.

"Something funny," he mumbled without opening his eyes. He rolled to his side, wrapped an arm around her and kissed her cheek.

"Just admiring the decorator's taste," she smiled.

"Mmm hmm," he murmured, pulling her closer and nibbling on her ear.

"We can't stay here all day, Phil." May smiled as she brought up her shoulder to shield the area.

"Told you, the place was paid for as long as we wanted it," he jested. She could feel his smile and turned to reply but he captured her in a kiss before she could speak. "We have a lot of time to make up," he breathed softly as they parted and his eyes opened mere inches from hers.

May stared into those blue pools and sighed. "And we have a lot of time to do that." She wanted to push away. They'd been here, in this bed, all night. Surely by now they'd been missed. "They're probably looking for us."

"Naw," he answered as he kissed her forehead, her eye and cheek, slowly rapped both arms around her warm body. "FitzSimmons have their own headaches, let them get their own room." He smiled.

She would have slapped him if her arms weren't trapped between them in his embrace. She nudged him with an elbow instead. "And our intrepid, yet darling daughter…left to her own devices…how's that work for ya?"

Coulson closed his eyes and snuggled into the pillow, tugging her with him. "It's a risk we'll have to take, beside after your little training session she'll think twice before doing anything reckless."

"For about fifteen minutes," May actually laughed so hard the bed shook with it.

"Soooooo much like her mother," he mocked, adding his own laughter to the vibrations.

As the laughter stopped and the room grew quiet, May drew a long breath and grew serious. "It's not fair to make her worry, Phil. She's been through enough."

"I suppose you're right." He sighed as he arched his neck and looked behind him at the small clock on the nightstand. "But she won't start worrying for at least three more hours. You know she loves her sleep." He rolled back to her once again gently stroking her back and thighs.

"Really know how to sweet talk a girl, doncha?" May smiled as she worked her arms free and around his waist.

"My girl," he smiled, lifting her to a deep kiss.

Her resolve melted as she turned into him, slowly slipping her leg over his as he rolled to his back taking her with him. He gently pulled her to him as she straddled his waist and they became one.

xx

"I'm hungry." Skye sighed looking up at the doctor who again listened to her heart and ran the thermometer over her forehead.

Jemma returned a weak smile. "Skye, sweetheart," she began. "Have you ever had blood drawn?"

The girl's eye's widened. "You mean like stick a needle in my elbow bend and suck out blood?" She was already shaking her head. She sat up quickly on the gurney that Simmons had not let her leave since she'd awakened.

The doctor placed a gentle hand on the little girl's shoulder. "It's just a little pinch and…"

"No, no, NO," Skye protested, still shaking her head. "Everyone always says just a little pinch and it's always a big one!" She wrapped her arms tightly around her thin body and frowned at Jemma.

"Jemma," Fitz scolded. "Leave the girl alone. You've been hovering over her for an hour and she's fine."

Skye nodded in agreement hugging her arms tighter. "Please don't take my blood." Tears were already streaming across the girl's cheeks.

Jemma let out a frustrated breath then smiled. She patted the little girl's knee and held up one finger. "You stay right here while Fitz and I talk for just a moment."

Skye wiped her eyes with the hem of her oversized tee-shirt and kicked her feet back and forth then nodded with a slightly pinched expression. Jemma smiled, moved around the gurney and grabbed Fitz by the arm dragging him to the farthest corner of the room.

"Aren't you the least bit curious about the depth of her reality? I mean if she has actual human blood running through her veins…" she looked over her shoulder and smiled at the little girl. "Do realize what that means?"

"Oh, _now_ you're interested in the science of the thing," Fitz shook his head. "You've listened to her heart and felt her breathe, Jemma. There's no need to traumatize the child."

"A blood draw is far from being trauma, Fitz." Jemma groaned, rolling her eyes at his exaggeration.

"It depends on the child then, doesn't it?" He shot back. "She's all alone and missing her mum…"

"And whose fault is that? There was no reason to bring her here." Jemma reminded him.

"And were you willing to risk having the two of them in the same reality?" Fitz's voice had that squeak he maintained when upset. "Remember the Pauli Exclusion Principle? I was not about to risk a nuclear explosion that would definitely destroy her world and might just take out most of ours." He raised his voice to a loud whisper.

"Oh, you don't know that," she shot back and plopped her arms across her chest. "Daisy could have slipped in and out without anyone noticing and…"

Fitz laughed out loud raising both arms in the air and turning away then back to face her. "Oh yes, most definitely, she just manifests in the Coulson's living room and no one blinks an eye."

"Daisy's at my house?" Skye stood with an open mouth between the couple. She'd been watching the heated argument like a tennis match.

"Skye!" Jemma exclaimed. "I asked you to stay on the gurney."

The little girl shrugged her shoulders. "It's not very comfortable and it's pretty boring and I'm hungry." She exaggerated the last word with gritted teeth, stretching her neck and jutting out her chin.

"She's hungry." Fitz smiled, pursing his lips and raising his eyebrows implying the girl was displaying another human trait. He jerked a thumb at the little girl.

"Why is Daisy at my house? Did you send her there? Is she little like me, like last time or a grown up, cuz my mom and dad won't know her if she's not me and boy will they be surprised." The little girl nodded and opened her eyes wide before letting out a short laugh.

"She's Daisy." Fitz shrugged, "just Daisy."

"Why is she there? Take me home, please. I need to talk to her." Skye grabbed Fitz's arm, and chewed her bottom lip. One tear ran over her cheek.

Jemma and Fitz looked at each other for a beat. Jemma shook her head but Fitz continued.

"We need Daisy to fix something." He told the little girl, hoping it would be enough.

"Something's broken?" She knit her brows together wondering what it could be and how Daisy would fix it. "Something at my house?"

"Not exactly," Fitz shook his head. Jemma shot him a warning glance but there was no turning back. "Do you remember the last time you used your computer?"

Skye rolled her eyes and rubbed both hands up and down on her backside. "Yeah," she curled up one side of her lip. "Mommy was pretty mad, madder than ever." She let out a long sigh. "It was kinda dumb to tell her no and try to pull it off of her." She shrugged her shoulders and tilted her head just a little.

"Oh dear, I didn't realize. I am so sorry, sweetheart. Would you like me to take a look?" Jemma sympathized with the little girl.

"What?! NO!" Skye squeaked as she backed away from the doctor, sounding so much like Daisy that Jemma had to cover a laugh. She looked from one doctor to the other. "I'm okay. Mommy spanked me good, but not that bad." The girl's cheeks turned bright red as she cast a glance to the floor.

Fitz looked at Jemma and then Skye before he stepped between them. "Oh, Jemma's just teasing, Skye." He tried to lighten the mood then turned to the doctor. "Aren't you?" Jemma narrowed her eyes but nodded.

Satisfied that the girl and Jemma were calm, Fitz explained. "When you used your computer you paused the program."

"The one with the guy that sounds just like you?" Skye asked with wide eyes, realizing her computer program had the man's voice.

Fitz nodded. "You paused the program and now, well it's got other things paused as well. Daisy's gone to restart it."

Skye thought for a moment, scrunching her face comically. She tilted her head to the side and looked at Fitz. "Why didn't you just let me fix it?"

"We were afraid you might get into more trouble. Things didn't turn out very well for you last time." Jemma finally spoke, placing a hand on the little girl's shoulder and squeezing softly.

Fitz couldn't help a little smirk, "or for Daisy."

Jemma threw him a cold glare, but spoke to the little girl. "We didn't know where your mother might have put the laptop and we had no way to contact you without it."

"We had to send Daisy," Fitz paused searching for the right words to explain it to the child. "Daisy needed to be completely _in charge_." He used Skye's terminology. "She needed to be…" again he paused and looked to Jemma for help. She merely smirked and tossed her head a smidge letting him know he was on his own. "She told us about the shelf in the closet. If your mom put it there it would be too high for you to access. Daisy is a little more skilled at things like this."

Skye thought for a moment then shook her head and frowned. "She didn't put it there, but I still couldn't reach it."

"Why is that, sweetheart?" Jemma was suddenly concerned with her friend's safety.

"I told you she was pretty mad. She thinks the laptop is what caused all the trouble I got in since I got it." She looked down and shook her head. "She doesn't believe me about Daisy. She thinks it's all pretend."

"She hasn't destroyed it?" Fitz was close to frantic. If the girl's laptop was gone, so was the chance to restart the program. Everything would be stuck right where it was. Skye would either be a ten year old forever or grow up in the program at a day to day normal rate, thereby ceasing the chance for the odd little family to create the memories this whole debacle set out to accomplish.

"No," Skye shook her head. "She wouldn't do that, but she took it to her office. I guess I won't get it back til summer." She let out a frustrated breath.

Jemma and Fitz exchanged a quick glance before he turned and began typing furiously. She put an arm around the little girl's shoulders. "Why don't you hop back on the gurney for a bit and I'll see what I can find for breakfast."

xx

Melinda stood in the doorway of Skye's bedroom staring at the quilt that hung over the side of the bed. She stepped inside and carefully moved around the small tags the investigators had placed around the room. Nothing looked out of place. All of Skye's things were where they had always been. The peaceful, normal appearance of the girl's room gave a false sense of security. Nothing here said her child was in danger or had been hurt in anyway.

"Mel?" Phil's voice came from the end of the hall. She knew he was in their room.

"Look," he nodded toward the closet as she entered the room.

The door was opened little more than a hair. Neither of them would have left it that way. Melinda moved to it and pushed it open with one finger. She stared at the inside for a moment then turned to him. She knew what was missing and a quick check of a few drawers told her more. The open package of undergarments drove it home. Nothing was amiss in Skye's room but here was a different story.

"We've got prints from this room, your daughter's and the bath." Fox announced as she stepped into the room.

"Did you find clothing…adult clothing of any kind? Probably a woman's," May asked without looking at the agent.

Fox narrowed her eyes and flipped through the pages of the small notebook she held. "I don't see any mention of it." She looked up at the couple. "Why? Is that important?"

"Some of my wife's clothing is missing." Phil breathed.

The agent stepped farther into the room, suddenly very interested. "Only hers?" She asked, implying she may have suspected more than one perpetrator. Phil gave a curt nod, baffled at why someone would break into their home to take their child and then need Melinda's clothing as well. Or, and this was even more bizarre, had someone stolen the clothing and taken Skye because she had witnessed it. Phil's mind was spinning with absurdity as he tried to ward off the panic that would effectively freeze him.

"Leggings, tee, boots all black," Melinda spit out methodically, "undergarments, and I suspect a leather jacket from the downstairs closet, also black." She spoke almost robotically, shutting down all emotion.

"Excuse me, ma'am," a tall agent spoke from the doorway. "We've located the car. There's a unit on the way there now." She gave a quick nod, intending to dismiss him but he continued. "And one of the agents that arrived with the Coulson's has identified a print found in the girl's room. We're waiting for verification." He held out a printout that she took.

Fox skimmed over the information and looked up at the couple then back at the small photo clipped to the form in her hand. She turned it toward them. "Do either of you know this woman?"

xx

Daisy felt the soft rumble beneath her feet and once again fought the urge to 'toss her cookies'. It passed quickly and for a moment she held her hands up and wriggled her fingers in front of her. She put out one hand intending to send a gentle pulse of power across the room…nothing. Scratching her head she leaned back on the bench where she sat and rested the top of head against the wall.

The door to the small holding cell opened and a woman with a slight smile stood waiting for Daisy to stand. She held out a small black wallet. "I'm sorry for the mix up, Agent Johnson. It took a bit for our system to locate your credentials, but we've sorted it all out and you are free to go." She stepped aside as Daisy took the wallet and stepped around her. "We've assigned you a bunk on the third level for as long as you need it. Is there anything else?"

Daisy flipped opened the wallet and looked at her name and picture opposite a large round S.H.E.I.L.D. badge. It brought back a bittersweet memory. "No," she shook her head. "No, I won't be here long." She spoke without looking at the young agent, jammed the wallet into the pocket of her borrowed jacket and walked down the hallway toward the office Phil and Melinda shared.

'Be nice if you gave me just a smidge of power, Fitz.' She grumbled to herself as she moved through the base, smiling at agents that slipped past on their way to whatever they did here in the not real world. Damn, this place brought back very uncomfortable memories. With any luck that door would not be locked, with a lot of luck it wouldn't have a hand scanner, but she didn't remember seeing one. May…or Melinda just turned the knob and walked it. She didn't unlock anything. If that was the case all she had to do was turn on that damn program and get the hell out of Dodge.

Turning the last corner she recognized the door at the end of the hall. She let out a puff of breath and looked in all directions for anyone moving up or down the hall. Not seeing anyone she quickly moved to the door and tested the knob. The sound of footsteps stopped her and she leaned against the wall and nodded to the woman who passed without incident. Two additional agents involved in a muffled argument passed as well and she could not help picturing FitzSimmons not so long ago…when things were just simple.

The hall grew quiet again but she waited a few seconds before turning back and trying the knob again. It turned easily but the door did not budge. 'Great' she growled to herself. "Just what I need some decades old security system." She sat back on her haunches and blew out a soft breath then froze at the soft click next to her head.

Raising her hands slowly above her head, Daisy stood slowly and turned to face four well armed agents with all weapons trained on her.

"Great," Daisy huffed as they stepped toward her.

 _¹I'm sorry daddy. You shouldn't do it all alone._

 _²No, Mellie, I'm sorry. Someone walked into the house and took our Skye. I didn't see or hear anything. This is all my fault. I failed my family._


	41. Chapter 41 - Left You by Yourself

**Chapter 41**

 **Left You by Yourself**

 _so sorry for the long wait, but the last few episode have me frazzled, can barely think straight_

Daisy kept her hands raised and smiled at the four agents, knowing she could take them out in a matter of minutes but that would only serve to put her a lot farther from the laptop that lay just beyond this door. She pointed to her pocket with one finger and spoke softly.

"Hey, guys…take it easy. I'm just gonna reach into my pocket and grab my ID. I'm kinda new here."

The pistols cocked and she froze, taking a quick breath. "Okay…let's not do anything crazy. I was just in here with Agent May." She bounced her head back twice, indicating the door behind her. "I…I think I might have left my car keys inside and I was just about to check."

"You're going to need to come with us, Agent Johnson." The one who seemed to be in charge ordered, sweeping the barrel of his gun in the direction he wanted her to move. "And don't try anything stupid." He warned as he pulled down one of her hands and spun it behind her back snapping on a metal cuff before pulling down the other and securing it as well. He spun her back and motioned with his eyes for her to move.

Daisy stepped between the men, leaving two at her flank and the others on either side. She rolled her eyes as they began to move. "Stupid?" she grumbled under her breath. "Hell, buddy, I am way beyond stupid."

xx

Jemma stood in front of the open cupboard staring at the meager stores inside. One box of stale corn flaky something and half a pop tart was not much to offer. There were three eggs and a quart of milk in the refrigerator, two slices of bread and a box of crackers on the counter. They definitely were in need of supplies. She considered running the two blocks to that donut shop she and Fitz used to frequent almost every morning on their way to the base. Despite the coffee shop name, the tea was excellent and they offered some of the best crumpets she'd had since…well, in a very long time.

It was early, just a little after seven. She could probably get there and back before anyone noticed, but it really wasn't worth the risk. Then again, Skye had to eat. She was, after all, just a child and couldn't be expected to sacrifice for the good of the team. Jemma shook her head. Skye wasn't real…or was she? Was she a little girl or just a series of ones and zeros that somehow took form and ended up on that gurney in Fitz's computer room? She had a heartbeat and Jemma had heard, hell _felt,_ her respiration. She'd hugged the child and wiped her tears…real tears. And then Skye _said_ she was hungry.

Jemma stepped back and let out a frustrated breath. "Of course…it only stands to reason, doesn't it? I have the one and only computer generated ten year old in existence who is hungry and this cupboard is bare. Perhaps my dear Fitz can create a digital banquet for the lot of us." She almost growled, still furious with her companion for this catastrophe. The woman pictured the look of disappointment on Skye's face when she returned empty handed and felt a new wave of anger toward the man responsible for all of this.

The young doctor drummed her fingers on the edge of the table and thought for a moment. Fitz had a tin of those little shortbread cookies stashed in the back of his sock drawer. HA! He thought she was unaware of his stash. Truth was, most of the time she just didn't care that he hid his weakness and some of the time she saw it as just so endearing, but right now she believed it was not only luck but retribution for his recent bout of stupidity.

A few minutes later Jemma entered the computer room to find Fitz explaining the workings of his program to a fascinated Skye. The little girl sat at the keyboard wide eyed while Fitz pointed out different technology and explained the swirling green and blue code on the screen.

"Fitz!" she scolded as she set the package of treats, cup and milk on the nearest table.

The man spun toward her immediately losing the smile he'd been wearing. "Relax, Jemma. She's just a child. All of this is just twinkling lights to her." He noticed the tin, raised his brows and pointed. "Is that my…"

"She has to eat, Fitz and keep in mind this child is _Skye_. Her aptitude for computer skills is far above anything you can imagine." Jemma warned him, cutting off his question before he could finish. "I believe she won that laptop in some poker game when she was about twelve. Our Skye is only a few years away."

" _Our_ Skye is not going to be playing poker in some dingy warehouse at twelve, Jemma." Fitz narrowed his eyes. "I'm positive _her_ mother would not allow it and more than positive she would not take well to it ever happening."

"My mom would **_never ever_** let me eat this stuff for breakfast." Skye stood wide-eyed and smiling with the opened tin of shortbread in her hands. She shook her head, placed the tin on the table and grabbed one biscuit in each hand thereby effectively ending the argument between the two scientists.

Jemma sneered at her partner as she reached one arm around Skye's shoulders and pulled out a chair from the table with the other. She pushed the little girl into it and poured milk into the paper cup she'd brought into the room. "I'm sorry, but we're a little between shopping trips to the market." She ignored Fitz's nasal laugh. "I believe these treats are made with just a touch of oatmeal. Now, that's healthy breakfast food. Isn't it?" The doctor smiled as she looked at the biscuits inside the opened tin. She pushed it close enough for Skye to reach into it as she pleased.

The little girl bumped herself up enough to peer over the edge of the tin. "They look like fat crackers, not biscuits." She looked up at Jemma. "I don't think I'd like crackers for breakfast, but these are great." She bit into one, chewed and swallowed before continuing. "Yeye makes omelets or pancakes or sometimes real oatmeal with berries and nuts." She crinkled her nose and took another bite.

"Omelets or pancakes…now that _would_ be a treat," Fitz grumbled from his spot in front of the computers. "It's been quite some time since…" He let the comment drop at the look on Jemma's face and turned to Skye. Fitz smiled and stepped closer taking a biscuit from the tin. "These are the finest Scottish shortbread cookies one can purchase in this country." He smiled as he admired the piece in his hand then grinned at the little girl watching him. "My mum used to send me a tin on my birthday and when I'd go home for holiday she would be sure to make some fresh." He took a bite, closed his eyes and chewed with a soft sigh.

Skye raised her brows and watched before letting out a silent snigger. Jemma rolled her eyes, but could not help the laugh she felt in her heart. It had been a very long time since she'd seen Fitz in such a relaxed state and probably just as long since she seen that smile.

"Granted they are not as delicious as those my mum made for me, but they truly are quite good." Fitz assured the little girl as he took another and bit into it with a smile. "And," he added pointing to her with the hand that held the cookie. "A few of these treats with a nice cup of hot tea is one of the best breakfasts I've ever had."

Skye raised her brows and looked to Jemma who gave a smirk but nodded her approval. "They are quite good." She agreed and snatched one for herself.

Skye looked at the biscuits, shrugged her shoulders and took a bite. After chewing for a bit, the little girl smiled and nodded her approval. "They really are quite tasty." She giggled as she attempted to imitate Fitz's accent.

Fitz tapped the little girl's nose with one finger. "That dreadful accent will not get any better, missy." He winked at her then walked back to his computers.

Skye shrugged and dug into another shortbread. "It's not so bad being here in my own body." She took a large gulp of milk and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "It kinda feels different." She wriggled a little on the chair, shrugged again and took another cookie. "I don't wanna be here forever though. I like my house a lot better." Skye nodded as she spoke to Jemma. "When will Daisy be back?" She munched on the cookie as she swung her feet under the table.

Jemma took a deep breath. Skye was right. Dealing with Skye in an adult body was not pleasant, containing this little spitfire would be next to impossible.

xx

Daisy was practically thrown into the metal chair in what she was sure was an interrogation room. The agent who escorted her there released one cuff, secured her to a long bar riveted into the heavy table then snapped it back around her wrist. He gave her a curt nod then turned and left the room, closing the door with a quick slam. She blinked her eyes a few times adjusting to the veiled lighting and smiled up at the small camera in the corner of the room.

"What the hell now?" Daisy whispered to herself as she bounced the chair closer to the table. It was more comfortable than stretching her arms across the distance between them. She shifted in the unforgiving seat and ran through what she'd done that possibly would have gotten to this point. Surely, wriggling a door knob was not a capitol offense. She let out a frustrated breath. That damn computer was within reach and she was this close to getting the hell out of here. She kicked the leg of the table in frustration.

"Quite a temper you've got there Johnson," a snarky female voice remarked as the door opened and an unfamiliar woman strolled into the room.

Daisy narrowed her eyes. "I've done worse." She snarked right back, narrowing her eyes and slouching back in the chair. Body language was everything and she intended to let this bitch know she was not going to be easy.

The woman smiled, dropped a file on the table and folded her arms over her chest. "I'm sure you have." She stood back giving Daisy pretty much the same glare and nonverbal challenge.

For a moment the two women merely stared, each daring the other to look away or to speak first. The interrogator, who had a lot to learn about intimidation, let out a snort, dropped her arms to her sides and flipped the file open. She lifted a photo and flung it across the table, face down. Skye slammed her palm on it before it slipped over the edge. The woman jutted out her chin. Daisy continued staring at the woman but tapped the edge of the photo on the table.

"Take a look," the woman ordered.

Daisy stopped for a moment, defying her with a glare. She let out a breath through her nose and flicked the picture back across the table then smirked as it slid over the edge to the floor.

"Cute," the woman growled as she bent to retrieve it. She ran her finger along its edge and grinned. "Seems nobody's ever really heard of you, Johnson, it's kinda like you just showed up outta nowhere."

"I like to keep a low profile." Daisy snarled back. "I do my best work under the radar."

The woman sneered at her for a moment. "Of course you do and yet we have absolutely no record of you doing anything before today."

Daisy leaned forward and tapped a finger on the table. "Maybe you need better record keeping." She said just above a whisper, smiling sarcastically.

The woman stood straight and drew a long breath. She walked around the table and stood at the younger agent's side then flicked the photo she held in front of Daisy's face. "Tell me what you know about this child."

Daisy blinked a few times and pulled her head back in order to focus. She stared into her younger self's eyes, smiling brightly out of what was surely a school photo then turned to the woman next to her. Oh, the stories she could tell about that child and her escapades. But, she had no intention of playing into this drill sergeant's game.

"Not much," she snarled and dropped back, slouching in the uncomfortable chair.

"You've never seen this child?" The woman asked, dropping the picture on the table in front of Daisy.

"I'm an agent, not a kindergarten teacher." She huffed, flicking the photo away gently. "I don't see a lot of kids in my line of work."

The agent reached across the table and slid the photo back in front of Daisy. She then pulled two additional photos from the file, dropping one on either side of the first. "How about these two? You've seen them." She snapped.

Daisy leaned forward and glanced at the photos. She let out a soft snort. "Of course, that's Coulson," she nodded to the picture on the left. "And that's Agent May. I just saw them this morning, right before your goons dragged me in here. I'm still waiting for that explanation."

"Don't hold your breath." The woman smiled a smirky smile as the door opened and another female agent stepped inside. She dropped a colorless jumpsuit and a pair of tan slip-ons to the table then stepped back. The first agent, smiled broadly. "We're gonna need your clothes, Johnson…everything…" she smiled again as she released the cuffs and stepped back with them dangling from her finger. "Right down to the skin."

Daisy rubbed her wrists and narrowed her eyes at the agent. The interrogator glared at her for a few seconds, then let out a frustrated breath. She leaned forward and placed both hands on the table and practically spit out her words.

" _Now_ , Johnson…or Agent Winters will have no problem assisting you."

Daisy stood slowly and glanced at the rather large muscular woman who had entered the room. Again she knew she would have no problem taking down either of these two, but could not risk losing proximity with that damn laptop. She jerked the leather jacket off her shoulders and flung it at the woman standing in front of her then ripped the button and zipper open on the pants she wore. 'I will get you for this, Fitz.' She growled to herself.

xx

Coulson walked into the com room and set down the carton he carried. May followed a few steps behind setting down the one she carried. Both stopped and listened to the unusual silence. Glancing up at the cockeyed clock on the wall, Coulson shrugged. It was well after eleven. Even Daisy would be up and in motion by this time, yet there was no sign that anyone had raided the pantry.

May pulled open a cabinet and shook her head. "Not like there's a lot here…" She smirked at Coulson and pulled a few boxes of cereal from the crate she had carried into the room. Again she looked at the man and rolled her eyes. "Really?" She held up a box of marshmallowy bits cereal.

Coulson shrugged. "She likes it, May. What could I do?"

"You get some guy to fill your grocery bill and have him running kid's sugar packed cereal." She shook her head as she stashed the box on the shelf then turned back and continued taking items from the carton. She tried to imagine the arguments they would have had over his spoiling their child. Then pictured young Skye and knew somehow they would have worked through it. Skye certainly had her moments but for the most part she was a pretty good kid.

Coulson took items from the other crate, most of which he stashed in the refrigerator or freezer. "Hey, the guy was all over town looking for that tea you like." He nodded at the tin near the bottom of the box she was working to empty. He and May had made their way out of the sub-basement shelter an hour ago only to find a covert signal left by the one and only helper they trusted on the outside. They made their way to the rear entrance of the warehouse that masked their refuge and found several well stocked crates inside. It had been weeks but the guy came through. Coulson smiled at the items he'd included.

"Hey, Mosley's not just some guy. He's an old friend and right now a life saver. I'm pretty sure the team would not be happy with the K-rations downstairs."

"Considering they're close to sixty years old, no…they wouldn't. Besides, where would Daisy get her marshmallow fix?" May smirked.

xx

Jemma poured a second cup of milk for Skye ran a hand through the little girl's hair then turned and walked toward Fitz. She looked back over her shoulder once then scolded him for the hundredth time.

"This is a horrid idea, Fitz. You need to get Daisy back and fix this before May and Coulson find out." She smiled as she looked back at Skye who sat munching on another shortbread.

"Jemma," Fitz breathed. "I've told you that until Daisy starts that program there is very little I can do."

"You're a genius," Jemma whisper-yelled, raising both hands. "Don't tell me there's nothing you can do. Put that little girl back where she belongs before something dreadful happens."

Fitz turned and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Nothing dreadful is going to happen," he smiled calmly. "Daisy knows what she's doing. She'll fix things on her side and all will be well."

Slapping his hands away, Jemma stomped a foot in anger. "She has no idea what she's doing. If she did she wouldn't be back in that damn program all alone, trying to fix this ridiculous glitch in your system." Her tone rose as she ranted.

"Jemma, calm down." Fitz tried to shush her. "This will be fixed in no time. Have a little faith."

"If Agent May finds out about this you…no we…we are going to need a lot more than faith. Do you realize how angry she'll be?" Jemma squeaked.

"She's not going to find out," Fitz smiled moving back to his keyboard. "We'll have this all sorted out within the hour and no one will be the wiser." He tapped a few keys and looked to be sure his updates were being accepted. He'd set an alarm. As soon as Daisy corrected the paused program he'd know and within seconds she'd be back. "Don't be such a worry wart, Jemma." He scoffed.

"And if this doesn't work? If it doesn't work? What are we supposed to tell that little girl?" Jemma swept an arm toward Skye. "We shouldn't even be arguing the point in front of her." She admonished the man who merely shook his head. "Fitz, you're not even listening…"

"I am listening, Jemma." Fitz retorted with a soft snort. "I'm just not about to argue a point that's already been made. Skye is here and Daisy is there and…"

"No…no she's not…" Jemma corrected him, staring at the empty table and the open door.

"I told you I refuse to argue this any further, Jemma. You just need to trust me." Fitz sighed as he turned toward her.

"She's gone, Fitz…" Jemma did nothing to quell the panic in her voice. She turned to Fitz and grabbed his arm. "Has she disappeared…dissipated?"

Fitz turned his head and stared at the computer screen for a second before looking back into Jemma's wide eyes. "Worse," he replied hoarsely. "I'm afraid she's just left the room."

Jemma narrowed her eyes and spoke through clenched teeth. "Great," she growled as she tossed Fitz's arm aside and marched toward the door.

xx

Skye had had it with all the bickering. It just went on and on and neither of the doctors seemed to be listening to the each other. She watched for a while. It was kind of like a tennis match and it made her neck sore. Mommy and Daddy sometimes bickered about silly things and usually one or both of them sent her from the room. Skye didn't mind because in all honesty she really disliked listening to any kind of arguing. It gave her a jumpy feeling. Once, at school, the teacher started scolding one of the boys and he argued back. It went on and on and got louder and louder and well…it stopped when Skye threw up. Everything stopped then. She got sent home, but still it was pretty embarrassing. Ever since then she always got that same sick feeling when anyone bickered. So, she just decided she'd leave them to their silliness and find someplace else to wait for Daisy.

Of course the smartest place would be Daisy's room. That would probably be where Daisy'd go when she got back and they could have a real conversation before she went back to her own home. Maybe Daisy would explain some of the crazy things that happened around here or maybe just tell her what kind of a goofy place this was. She didn't feel as scared as she did the last time and figured it was because she had her own body this time. It felt a lot better walking around in her own skin even though the clothes were way too big. Jemma had tried rolling up the legs of the PJ bottoms but it didn't help. Finally she just took them off and used the big T-shirt as a baggy dress. The thought of her silly outfit made her giggle as she maneuvered around the debris in the hallway. It looked like somebody moved some of the rocks to the side so people could walk through, but she still wondered why they just didn't clean up the place.

Everything looked a lot bigger now that she was a lot smaller but she was sure she could find her way to the room she figured was Daisy's. That's what the May-mommy said the last time when she had to stay there.

Skye stopped and listened to the voices that were coming closer. Two people were talking…just talking, not bickering. She quickly moved behind a large pillar and squeezed into the darkest part of the corner as they passed. She recognized one as the lady soldier who thought she was Daisy the last time, but she'd never seen the really tall man before. They were talking about stuff she didn't understand and didn't really want to so she waited until they disappeared around a corner and she could no longer hear their voices.

When she stepped back into the hallway, Skye looked in all directions. She was pretty sure she was close to that kitchen place they called the con room…no, not con…com…com room. She wondered if it was maybe Spanish, like comida for eating or cocina for kitchen, but neither sounded like com and anyway only that one lady spoke Spanish. It didn't matter anyway because whatever they called it, that's where the food was and Skye was hungry. Those little cookie things were good, but they weren't breakfast. She found a whole box of Lucky Charms there the first time she visited and they were just as excellent as she always imagined. Mommy would never buy them. She said it was eating a bowl of sugar for breakfast and that wasn't going to happen. But, Daisy's mom was a lot different and she didn't mind if Daisy ate sugar for breakfast or maybe she did but Daisy was a grown-up and she could do what she wanted. Skye thought about that for a minute as she walked, then smiled to herself. 'Nope, that May-mommy was different but not that different. If Daisy did something stupid Skye was sure it would not turn out well for her.' She laughed again at the thought of her big friend getting put in her place by her mom.

Skye's idea was to cut through the kitchen com place just to see if there was in fact more of that great cereal. She'd grab the box and head to Daisy's room. She could snack on it there and not have to worry about anyone finding her. She turned the last corner and walked down the hall slowly, again hearing the soft voices of two people talking. Stopping just outside the door, the little girl peeked around it and smiled at the couple engaged in friendly banter. She realized as soon as she saw them the difference.

They were older.

It made sense. After all, Daisy was a grown up. She grew up. Parents don't. They grow old. It made Skye happy and sad all at the same time and she quickly swiped away the tear that leaked out of one eye. It also made her love them more than ever. Daisy was her…grown up her…so Coulson and May were her 'grown up' parents. They were comfortable together, like they knew everything about each other and it didn't matter. Maybe they did bicker, but it just made them happier…closer. Skye wanted to rush into the room and squeeze both of them, but chose to just stand and watch. She hadn't even realized she'd stepped into the door way.

May was smiling that little smile that Nainai smiled sometimes when she didn't really want you to know she was amused or just feeling a little silly. Coulson was smiling and telling her how it was important to have a little fun every now and again, even if it was just with marshmallowy cereal. May shook her head and turned away.

"Daisy doesn't need…Skye?" She scrunched up her face like she was confused, making Skye want to bolt, but the little girl was frozen in place.

Coulson followed May's baffled look. The small box he held slipped from his hand and bounced twice on the floor. He blinked once, still holding his hand out. "Skye," he whispered in disbelief. May was already on the move, almost knocking him over as she passed.

She hesitated for a second before grabbing the little girl's arm and tugging her into the room. She quickly looked up and down the hall then turned to the child at her side.

"What are…how did…where is…" Melinda May rarely, if ever stumbled over her words, but this time she was knocked totally off balance. She took the child by the shoulders and glared at her. "What the hell? Skye?"

Coulson stepped next to them and gently pulled the little girl away from May and closer to him, while resting a hand on the woman's shoulder. "Hey, Skye," he smiled. "How ya doing?"

Skye looked from one parent to the other, clearly confused by their opposing reactions. "I…I'm okay." She answered quietly, moving closer to Coulson but never taking her eyes off of May. Suddenly, this mom was nothing like her real mommy.

"What are you doing here?" May barked, causing the girl to jump. "Hell, how are you even here?" She turned and then spun right back, grabbing the child's shoulder. "Where is Daisy?" Before Skye could form an answer, May turned away and paced to the door and back, clenching and unclenching her fists. "Damn her, damn her again…nothing gets through to her, nothing…" She looked up at Coulson who was pleading with only his eyes for her to calm down in front of the little girl. "Damn it, Phil…what do I have to do…"

Skye had moved around Coulson and now peered out from behind him, wondering how she could have ever thought this lady was her mother. Yeah, mommy got mad but not like this. Geez, maybe as she got bigger she pushed her mom just a little too far and turned her into this very angry person. "I'm sorry," she whispered to herself.

Coulson glanced at the child then spoke to May. "Hey, May…how 'bout we all bring it down a little. I'm sure Skye can tell us how she got here," he held out one hand toward his partner as she narrowed her eyes and let out a long angry breath. "Can't you, honey?" he smiled down at the little girl. He looked back toward May. "It's okay, Skye. May's not angry with you, she's just a little upset with Daisy."

May took a deep breath and let it out with a heavy sigh. She looked into the frightened expression on her daughter's little girl face and tried to quell her anger. Coulson was right she was not upset with Skye, but Daisy… She gave Skye a weak smile. "I'm sorry, Skye. I didn't mean to scare you." She reached out a hand and rubbed the girl's arm. "Do you know how you got here or where Daisy might be?"

Skye nodded as she spoke. "I think Fitz…I mean Dr. Fitz brought me here because Dr. Simmons is really angry at him about it. She told him it was a stupid idea." She offered looking at Coulson, then at May and then back. "I think he sent Daisy to fix my computer."

May turned from the child and glared at the man before her, taking in quick angry breaths that released as little puffs of air. She took one deep cleansing breath then turned and stormed out the door.

Coulson grabbed Skye's hand and took off after her. If she strangled their brilliant engineer, there would be no hope of getting Daisy back.

xx

Daisy slammed back against the chair she'd been sitting on for the last fifteen minutes. She scraped her cheek against her shoulder for the tenth time, subconsciously trying to wipe off the heat that still burned there. Part of it was the rage that built every time she thought about how she'd get even with Fitz, the other part was those two harpies that stood there and watched her undress. They never even blinked, just stood there smirking like some weird-o-philes. She shivered with the thought. When that overgrown Amazon asked if a cavity search was necessary, Daisy froze…what the hell did they think she had stolen? A few seconds later they both broke out in hysterics and she was sure she would knock them both unconscious before this idiotic nonsense was through. For a few minutes she wondered if somehow Fitz had channeled the Doctor and sent her into some warped hybrid version of SHIELD and HYDRA. She shook that off as well. He had some wild ideas but even Fitz wasn't capable of that.

She'd only been with SHIELD a few years and didn't know everyone. Hell, there were good and bad people everyone and who knows, maybe these two were some creeps Fitz had run across in his experience. He was genius, a science geek. She was sure he'd faced his share of brain numb bullies in his day. Great, he'd subconsciously stuck them in this program leaving her to deal with their crap.

So now she sat in some scratchy jumpsuit wondering who might have worn it before her and if there was a usual laundry day at this version of the base. The thought was sickening. She pushed it away as she again wiped her cheek against her shoulder and yanked at the cuffs that bound her to the heavy table. Daisy drummed her fingers on the table and glared at the camera in the corner, knowing someone was watching.

The interrogator, Agent Rattoni…Daisy actually laughed at the irony of the name and wondered about Fitz's sense of humor…had pushed Skye's picture in front of her several times. What the hell did her being at the base and attempting to open Melinda's office door have to do with Skye? And where the hell was that kid anyway? Daisy had tried several times to 'think' to Skye, figuring the kid was in that weird empty place they used when the other was 'in charge', but felt no sense of her little self's presence.

'What if…' Daisy sat up straight with the thought…she shook her head and snorted. There was no way…it wasn't possible. He couldn't. Could he? The girl balled her fist and banged it on the table. "Damn you, Fitz!" she spoke through her teeth.

The door slammed open, hitting the wall and bouncing back to be caught and slammed against the wall again. Daisy jumped to her feet knocking the heavy chair to the floor in the process. It clanged loudly. A figure stood silhouetted in the light that shone through the open door. It advanced on her with almost inhuman speed.

Before she could speak she was slammed against the rough wall with a hand squeezing her neck so tightly she could barely breathe. Her arms screamed in pain as they were stretched from the iron table, cuffs cutting into both her wrists. Her eyes filed with tears and she squeezed them shut against the pain as she gasped for the tiny breaths she could take. She kicked once but her assailant stomped hard on her slipper covered foot, sending shards of pain into her instep.

"Where is she?!" A voice wormed through the torment, demanding and pleading at the same time. "Damn you, if you've…" The statement went unfinished as knuckles crashed across Daisy's cheek in a backhanded strike.

She felt the blood trickle from her lip and nose seconds before another strike came from the opposite direction. This time a full hand slap stung her face and caused her ear to ring. It brought tears to her eyes. She struggled to break free, but her bound hands hindered her. Speaking was impossible.

"Agent May!" Rattoni's voice rang through the buzzing in Daisy's head. "STAND DOWN!"

Daisy felt the pressure on her throat relent as the hand slipped from her skin to her collar but still held her fast, slamming her again into the wall. She wasn't sure what was worst the cracking of her skull or the wrenching of her wrists.

"I asked you a question." Melinda's face was inches from her own. "I expect an answer." Her voice was little more than a feral whisper as she shook Daisy with each statement, thumping her head on the concrete.

"I SAID STAND DOWN, MAY!" Rattoni ordered from someplace far away as a flurry of steps and clicks brought several other well armed agents into the room.

"Not until I have an answer." Melinda growled through her teeth then turned her attention back to the girl inches from her face. "Where is my daughter?!"

Again Daisy's head hit the wall and she grimaced in pain. She blinked through watery eyes but could not answer. Several agents moved forward as Melinda released her grip on the girl and stepped back only to land another backhand before pulling herself away from the agents. She held up her hands as she backed away from Daisy and took a deep breath as she fought to remain conscious.

Daisy slumped to her knees unable to fall completely to the floor still being tethered to the bar across the table. Two agents hurried to her side and lifted her back to the chair they up righted. Rattoni stepped closer and lifted the girl's head then let out a disgusted breath and opened one cuff releasing the girl.

"Get her to medical, now!" She ordered and the same two agents grabbed Daisy by the arms and pulled her to her feet as Rattoni snapped the cuffs back on both of her hands. The agents then hurried her out the door.

"I told you to stay out of this, May. Where's Coulson? How could he…" Rattoni bellowed at Melinda then softened her tone. "You're too close to this Melinda and we can't get any answers out of that girl if you kill her. We aren't even sure she's got anything to do with any of this. Everything checks out on her."

Melinda watched as the two agents dragged Daisy and disappeared around the corner at the end of the hall. She drew a deep breath. "What about the clothes?" She snarled through her teeth.

"Nothing back from the lab, yet. Give it a few hours. Where's Coulson?" Rattoni repeated. "You shouldn't even be here. Go home, Melinda."

"There's nothing for me to do at home!" Melinda barked at her superior. "The police and the FBI are all over it. I need to find my daughter and I can't do that with everyone fawning over me." She glared at the older woman. "Phil…" she paused for a moment stomping on her panic, pulling back her tears, pushing all but one emotion into a tight ball and tossing it aside. Rage…she kept the rage, just below the surface…just within reach. Shaking off everything else, Melinda pulled herself into her stoic work-face. "Phil is running through the day with my father…making sure nothing was missed. He'll be here soon." She remarked as she walked from the room, then turned back to Rattoni. "Next time you talk to her…I'll be there."

xx

"Fitz!" May bellowed as she stormed into the room and slammed both hands on the table before heading for him. "Damn you, Fitz! What the hell were you thinking?!" She growled as she approached and he backed away, almost tripping over a chair.

Jemma had met May halfway to the room and followed behind her, now stepped between them. "Agent May," she smiled as she took a deep breath. "I am sure that by now Fitz realizes his folly and is in the process of correcting everything." She looked over her shoulder at him and growled. "Aren't you, Fitz?"

She had no need to ask May for any details, the look on the woman's face as she passed her was enough. May knew about Skye. Jemma had stood for a moment watching the woman storm away before Coulson called to her. Skye was with him. They both knew. Jemma turned on her heel and hurried to catch up with the incensed agent.

Fitz furrowed his brows and lowered the hand he had held up in front of himself. "No, no Jemma, I'm not. I've told you this cannot be fixed until that computer is…"

"Fitz!" Jemma groaned through clenched teeth. " _Enough_ with that computer."

"Agent May," Fitz began, then stopped at the sight of May glaring at him with her arms across her chest. He took a breath and started again. "The program is, for lack of a better explanation, frozen and cannot be corrected from this side. Somehow that little program I used to contact Daisy has been paused and that action somehow stopped almost everything. Daisy simply went to restart the laptop and…"

"Didn't we just have this conversation, Fitz? Didn't she just do the same damn stupid thing twice?" May growled.

Fitz smiled. "Yes, but this is so much more simple. All she has to do is turn on the computer and hit one key and it's done. She's back and all is well." He snapped his fingers to emphasize the point.

"If it's so simple, why is Skye…the real, ten year old kid Skye…looking for something to eat in the common room? May glowered.

"Yes…that…well, um…that was a bit of a side effect." Fitz explained as he placed his hands on the back of his chair and chewed his bottom lip for a second. "I…I had to send Daisy physically into the framework to do what needed to be done, somehow that resulted in Skye showing up here." May took a breath and opened her mouth to speak but Fitz spoke first. "It's just a minor set back and easily rectified." He chose not to share his explanation of the Pauli Principle with her.

"How long?" May growled through clenched teeth.

"That depends on how long it takes her to…" Fitz began.

"How long is she in there?" May corrected herself as she cut him off.

Jemma looked at the LED clock over the vital read out screens. "A little over the four hour mark," she answered for her colleague.

May paused for a moment. "Simple? What kind of simple takes more than four hours?" She turned to see Coulson and Skye hurry into the room then stop just inside the door.

Fitz looked at Jemma who chewed her bottom lip. May was right. It should not have taken this long. They hadn't counted on the 'my mom took it to work' snag and Fitz had very quickly added Daisy's grown up persona and information into the program to advert a catastrophe at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base that still existed in that reality. Even then, Daisy was a skilled agent. It should have been in and out.

" _Where_ is Daisy, Fitz?" May took another step toward him.

Fitz tapped a few keys then held up a finger as he watched the screen. "She's…a…she's…" he waited for the data to process. "She seems to be…no that cannot be right…" He tapped again and watched as little green bits of data swirled in place. "No…no…no…Daisy what are you doing?" He asked no one as everyone held a collective breath.

"Fitz," May warned.

He dropped into his chair and began furiously typing, ignoring everyone and everything else in the room. This whole thing was very quickly spinning out of control and nothing he was entering was helping.

"Fitz!" May slammed a hand on the counter, causing him to jump. "Where is Daisy?"

Fitz stopped and stared at the screen before turning toward May. "It appears she's gotten herself into a bit of a difficult spot." He almost shrugged then quickly continued as May looked ready to shake it out of him. "I can't be one hundred percent sure but she followed…" he considered his next few words as he looked toward Skye, still holding tightly to Coulson's hand. "She followed the computer to the base and now it seems she's in their medical bay. I…I'm not reading her consciousness, but…but, but," he held a hand out in front of him as both May and Coulson advanced. "Her vitals look normal!" He almost squeaked as he pointed toward the screen that displayed Daisy's name. Everything there looked fine.

May pushed him aside and marched to the gurney that had been her vehicle to the other reality. She picked up the headgear and sneered at the young engineer. "Send me after her…I swear Fitz if she's hurt or as sick as she was before…I will…" She stopped, hearing the gasp from the child still in the doorway.

Everyone turned to Skye, who had been watching with eyes wide. Daisy was hurt? Base? What base? What kind of base? The computer was with her mother at her office. Daisy went to get it. Who hurt her? Was her mother hurt, too? The questions rolled through the little girl's head so quickly she could not form one to ask. The May-mommy was angrier than she'd ever seen her and Daddy looked more scared than when she'd fallen out of that big tree.

Coulson stopped midway to joining May and turned to the little girl behind him. Daisy's eyes stared back, set in confusion and fear. He took a step toward her then looked over his shoulder at May. Daisy, their Daisy, was in trouble, more than likely hurt from what Fitz had said. And the child version of that same girl was on the verge of hysterics. He was torn…which version of his daughter should he…how could he… Skye took a shaky breath and those eyes…

Squatting down in front of the little girl, he took her hands in his. "Hey, Skye," he spoke softly, swiping a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "Daisy's gonna be fine. We're gonna get her out and send you home just like the last time, okay?"

Skye was already shaking her head. "Dr. Fitz said she was at a base. She was supposed to go to my mommy's office not a base. Daisy calls this place the base…" She looked around the room then back to Coulson. "Is…is…"

"Hey, hey, look at me…" Coulson tugged the little girl's hands then gently turned her to face him. "There's nothing to worry about…come on, it'll be fine. Trust me?"

The little girl took short breaths and bit back the urge to cry. Yes, she trusted him. He was daddy in any place…he was daddy…Daisy's daddy…her daddy and she trusted him always. She nodded slowly. He smiled and kissed her hands before he stood and wrapped her in a hug. She hugged him back.

"Simmons?" Coulson looked to the doctor who nodded and took the little girl into her arms. She smiled a weak smile at him.

Coulson pointed toward the computer as he hurried to join May. "Fire that thing up, Fitz," he called as he mounted the gurney, pulled the headgear into place and lay back against the pillow. May did the same and both waited for Simmons to attach the vitals' leads while Skye watched from across the room.

She nodded to Fitz to let him know all was ready. Fitz spun in his chair and began typing. The soft hum that filled the room let them know the machine had accepted the command. Coulson and May closed their eyes and waited for the 'stomach drop' feeling that would send them to their _other_ life. The hum rose to a climax then abruptly droned off with a squelch. Jemma squinted at the vitals screens that blipped once then corrected. Fitz glared at the screen before him, shook his head and mumbled to himself then began typing again. The hum started again building to a crescendo of sound then fell flat with not even a slight fade out. Again Jemma checked the vitals and found nothing changed. May looked across the short span between the gurneys asking the same nonverbal question Coulson asked her.

Fitz jumped from his seat, moving to a separate screen and keyboard. He typed a few strokes then watched the screen. "No, no, no…" he mumbled to himself as he moved back to the main screen and typed for a moment before waiting for the data to process again. The little green blips continued the same motion for a moment before a red dialogue box appeared in the center of the green. 'System does not recognize command…please try again…'

Fitz hit a key and the box closed. He drew a quick breath and typed again. A second later the red box reappeared. He ran a hand through his hair and let out the same breath.

"Move it, Fitz…" May commanded from her position on the gurney, without raising her head.

"It's no use." Fitz breathed as he dropped both hands on his thighs, still staring at the screen.

Coulson was already up, pulling the headgear and leads from his body. May was a second behind. "No use? What the hell are you talking about?" She ripped off the leads and tossed the headgear as she marched across the room.

"It's not working…it _can't_ work." Fitz's voice was higher, as he reined in his own panic. He threw his arms in the air and turned away from the others, then ran both through his hair and let a puffy breath out. "The paused program is affecting the basic function of the main program." He held out a hand toward the main screen. "Everything…everything is paused and I…I can't do a thing until it is restarted." He shook his head and dropped into his chair, closed his eyes and let out a frustrated breath.

Coulson looked at May and she at him. They both turned to Skye who ran into Coulson's open arms.

There was no way to get to Daisy.

And no way to get her back.


	42. 42 Brown Eyes, You're Beautiful

**Chapter 42**

 **Brown Eyes…You're Beautiful and You're Mine**

Daisy woke long before she dared open her eyes, not that she ever really lost consciousness just got a little woozy from all that head thumping. She'd learned long ago how to feign sleep which was not that much different than being semiconscious. It was a necessity at St. Agnes where ignoring lights out got you snatched out of bed for a couple whacks then dropped back on the mattress with the threat of even worse if you weren't asleep at bed check. Daisy was an expert at fooling them all.

So now, she lay motionless, breathing soft and easy and listening carefully to the soft murmuring conversations around her. She counted three distinct voices, probably techs…they didn't sound like doctors, just not serious enough. There was a fourth person she could hear shuffle every now and then or take a breath. This person was close, sometimes sitting next to her…she could hear the chair scrape the floor or make that creaking sit-down noise chairs made. Other times this person was pacing at the base of whatever the hell they had her strapped to at the moment.

Yep, she was in restraints. She could feel them on her ankles and forearms. Someone had some compassion, they'd moved the cuffs away from her wrists which where now bandaged like someone who'd tried some fumbled suicide attempt. She tried not to think about the girl they wheeled out of the bathroom at St. Agnes when she was thirteen. Paula…her name was Paula. It was the very first time Daisy had seen so much blood. She pushed the thought away and concentrated on the here and now.

It was a big risk but she dared to open her eye lids a slit, just enough for a blurry view of the room. It was definitely Medical, right down to the gouge in the floor where someone had dropped a scalpel at just the right angel it wedged into the surface. Fitz had yanked it out and earned himself six tiny perfect sutures ala Simmons. Of course this room would be an exact replica, it was where FitzSimmons spent the majority of their time…their relationship…their lifes. She hoped they could fix that and wondered if maybe the couple should take a little trip into a framework of their own. It was kinda like that holodeck thing on that Trekkie show some of the kids used to watch when Sr. Daniel wasn't there to bring down the wrath of God on such blasphemy. Of course it had a few kinks, like avatars slipping in and out and viruses that jumped into people…other than that (and a few other little things) it wasn't that bad.

Daisy stopped her thoughts…May really must have knocked some screws loose. 'No, not May,' she told herself. 'Melinda…it was Melinda. May wouldn't…'

She felt the Fourth Person next to her…looking at her…no, staring at her. She could hear the breathing and smell the…the…the aftershave. It was a man. 'Crap,' she growled to herself, 'that damn drill sergeant from the hallway.' She didn't remember the scent of his aftershave, or cologne or whatever the hell they were calling it now. She recognized this…she'd smelled it pretty much everyday for the last almost five years.

 _Coulson_

"I know you're awake."

His voice came at the exact moment she recognized his presence. Of course he knew, he always saw right through her…every time. She almost smiled.

"You've been awake almost as long as you've been here." He commented as he pulled the chair closer and sat down. "You're not going anywhere, so you might want to open your eyes and start talking."

Daisy opened her eyes, but stared at the ceiling rather than looking at the man. She couldn't bare him glaring at her with the same animosity his counterpart had a few minutes ago…well, it was probably longer but right now it felt like minutes. She sniffled once and broke into a spasm of coughing.

He was up and at her side in a second, lifting her head and holding a cool, soft cloth to her nose. "It isn't broken." He remarked without emotion. "Just a couple busted vessels." She heard the soft hum of the bed as it rose to keep her upper body elevated. "This helps."

"Thank you," Daisy whispered without looking at him.

One of the techs stepped next to the bed and took over holding the cloth until Daisy's nose stopped bleeding. He was just a little less than gentle as he cleaned her face then growled something about breathing through her mouth for a while. Daisy gave a slight nod and stared down at the hospital gown she now sported, wondering how and when she'd been changed…not to mention who…

"My wife shoots first and asks questions later." Coulson, who she knew was Phil in this reality, stated matter-of-factly. "She's…she's usually not so emotional, but she's over the edge right now." He breathed. "It would be better for you if you just told us what you know."

Daisy swallowed and continued to stare. What could she say that he would believe?

"We know you were in our home this morning." She was pretty sure he almost laughed. "Your prints were everywhere. And the clothes…" he paused as if waiting for her to say something. "You _took_ my wife's clothing?" He wasn't asking if she did, he just couldn't believe she had. He just letting her know what they knew.

She hadn't been careful at the house that morning because she didn't think she really needed to be. Never in a million years did she think she'd end up restrained to a bed in the medical bay of the Playground because she'd been beaten by May. 'No, Melinda. It was Melinda.' She told herself again. The alternative hurt way too much.

"They told me you call yourself Daisy…Daisy Johnson. Is that your real name?" Phil asked quietly and just the fact that he had to ask caused an ache she could not comprehend.

Daisy blinked away the tears that threatened to fall and told herself again that this was not _her_ Coulson. He didn't know her the way AC did, but it was his voice and she felt the fear in it. She wasn't even sure if it was her real name. It was the name Cal Johnson gave to her not the name May had chosen, but your name doesn't make you who you are. Geez, why was she remembering that goofy Shakespeare thing she had to read as a teen? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.¹

"It's what my parents call me." She answered around a swallow. She new he was nodding, mulling over her answer, sorting out the lie and the truth of it. It wasn't really a lie. It was what her parents called her. She wondered if they resented the fact she still used it. After all she was truly a Coulson, a real true blood Coulson. It was another hurdle to jump at some point but maybe going forward it would be better to keep this name…as a reminder of everything they'd survived together.

Suddenly she felt the bed bump and heard the clicks and pops of someone releasing the wheels below her. "Sorry sir, this is gonna have to wait," a female voice stated as the bed began to move. "Doc says she wants a CT. You can talk to her again in about an hour."

She felt Phil's hand on her ankle as he held it gently. "Take good care of her." He sighed.

Daisy swallowed the sob as she was wheeled away. Not because of the concern in his statement, but the lack of it.

xx

Melinda paced back and forth in the office she shared with her husband. She stared at the form in her hand…the report on the clothing the lab had tested. Every item was from her closet. She shivered with the thought of some pervert not only going through her clothing but taking it and then having the nerve to show up here…here at the base…wearing it! And yet with every sweep, every agency made of her home, including their own techs, there was absolutely no trace of Skye, except in her bed…right where she should have been.

Her father's story had made little sense. He insisted Skye had spoken to him from her bedroom and from the shower. She'd given Skye…no not given, she wasn't a baby anymore. She'd supervised Skye's bath last night, helped her wash her hair. She laughed at the PJ's her child had chosen, telling her they were well worn and she had so many nicer pairs. Skye told her they were her favorite and the most comfortable. She tucked her in and they talked about the computer incident again. Oh, Skye did her best to get her to give in and relent on the punishment she'd set, but Melinda was adamant.

That computer had caused nothing but trouble since the day Skye opened the box. If she had her way she'd drop it in the base incinerator, but that would be too extreme. Skye had abused her privileges and been completely belligerent with her. Melinda figured a month without the damn thing would put things in perspective for her little one. Phil even tried to get her to relinquish the computer, telling her the walloping she'd given their daughter was more than enough punishment, but she stood her ground. This morning she packed up that thing and dragged it here. Skye would have absolutely no access to it. Their little girl thought they worked in a boring insurance office downtown. With any luck she'd just forget about the damn thing because Melinda intended to keep it here for a least a month if not two, right where she could see it. She'd already warned her little girl she'd keep it a week longer every time she asked to have it back.

Melinda stopped, dropped the report on her desk and stared at the laptop. She ran her finger along the unicorn sticker Skye had carefully placed on the machine, personalizing it. Skye had had that sticker for weeks, saving it for just the right spot…no not her school notebooks or her piano music folder…not her backpack or even the bulletin board on the wall in her room. She needed it for something special. It turned out that was this damn trouble making computer and her obsession with some imaginary playmate she should have forgotten years ago.

Melinda tapped her fingers on it and thought…what if…no…no, Skye was smarter than that. But she was still a kid, impressionable…innocent…and just what if someone was wise enough to take advantage of that. What if someone…some perverted someone was communicating with Skye on this damn thing? She picked up the laptop with every intention of smashing it into the nearest wall and stopped only because some small voice in her head reminded her that if, IF someone was talking to Skye through it there would be some trace…some way for the techs to trace that signal or whatever the hell it was called and find the bastard. She stared at the pure white rainbow maned unicorn and tried to stop her rapid breathing.

The techs had installed all kinds of internet protection on the machine before Phil even brought it home. He touted the safety of the programs they'd installed saying that not even a deep web hacker could get into it. Melinda remembered half listening, thinking it was merely another electronic toy their daughter was fascinated with and Daddy rarely denied her such things. She figured it was harmless. Skye would play a few games…maybe do some homework or studying as she promised she would and then lose interest. She'd move on, like all kids did. Only Melinda underestimated that fascination and realized too late that it was more of an obsession, hence the time restraints on the usage. And more than likely the reason for Skye's late night…or early morning…covert mission to use the damn thing.

She carefully set the laptop back on her desk and pried open the top. She stared at the keyboard and blank screen looking for some kind of 'on' button. Damn technology! Nothing said on or off and the keyboard was just your basic 'quertyuiop', nothing special. There were a couple keys she did not recognize so she gently tapped each and waited for something…anything to happen. But the screen remained black and blank. Melinda remembered the long black cord she'd wrapped around itself and stuffed in her bag this morning. She pulled it out and looked at what was now two black cords.

One had a small round adapter on one end and a heavy rectangular box on the other. The second had a small female plug on one end and a large three pronged male on the opposite. It took her only a second to attach them and find the round outlet on the edge of the laptop where it attached. She stretched the plug to the surge protector under her desk and shoved it into an open outlet then sat in front of the open laptop and waited…again…but nothing, not even a soft hum.

"Damn! This thing!" she barked as she flipped the edge of it and it bounced back a few inches on her desk.

It would have made sense to just pick up the asinine thing and walk down to the tech department. They'd know exactly how to get into the damn thing. But she was determined. If there was the slightest chance she could make contact with whoever might have lured her baby away, she would be the one to make it. She'd track that person down and…

Melinda stopped, trying to push away all the pictures of young girls and children who'd been taken by that type and the things that had been done to them. She knew time was important and that finding Skye before they could…

Suddenly, she could barely take a breath. Melinda rose intending to race to the closest rest room but made it only to her wastebasket as she lost the contents of her stomach. She pulled a few tissues from the box on her desk and swiped her face then fell into her chair dropping her hand on the keyboard of the laptop. She jumped at the faint buzzing sound and stared at the tiny white circle that had appeared just below the screen. Melinda lightly passed her fingers over it discovering an almost indiscernible tap the same color as the laptop. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the screen turned from black to bright blue. Why, she thought, would anyone make simply turning on a device so difficult. It was almost as if you had to be in on the secret to turn the damn thing on.

Melinda turned in her seat and faced the machine, watching as it ran through several blips and screen changes before it said, 'Welcome' and stopped.

"My ass," Melinda growled at it as she tapped the spacebar and the blue welcome screen disappeared. It was replaced by a cartoonish pastoral scene complete with flowers, mountainous background, clouds in the sky and even a butterfly. In the center of the screen was a skinny man with a very large head and a wide smile. He seemed to be mid wave but she wasn't really sure because a large white symbol that looked very much like an eleven blocked the middle of the screen. Melinda had enough computer sense to know it meant the screen was paused and all she had to do was tap it and it would start. She placed her finger on the mouse screen intending to move it to the symbol however as soon as she gave a slight bit of pressure a large red box appeared in the center of the screen.

"ENTER PASSWORD"

"Damn it!" Melinda spit as she dropped her fist on the desk. She didn't remember Phil putting a password or having the techs put a password on the laptop. In fact they had specifically decided not to in order to track what their intrepid daughter might get into while using it. Skye on the other hand was probably more than capable of added a password of her own, but why. What did she want or need to keep protected from the only other people that might use this machine? Did someone force her to do this? To deceive her parents?

Melinda's fears grew in intensity as she yanked the plug and snapped the laptop closed. She twisted the cord around the machine and headed for the tech lab.

xx

Phil paced back and forth in the medical pod, waiting for the return of the girl Melinda was sure had taken their child. He'd gotten there too late, noticing his wife's car gone a few minutes after Agent Fox had spoken to Melinda about the missing clothing. He'd noticed something in the change of expression on Melinda's face and was distracted by an agent asking a few questions as she pulled out her phone. By the time he turned back Fox was speaking with William and Melinda was nowhere to be found.

He assumed she went back to Skye's room and headed there but found it just the way they left it. She wasn't in their room either and a quick search of the overcrowded first floor came up empty. That was when he stepped outside and realized her car was no longer in the driveway.

There was only one place she'd go…back to the base. He couldn't imagine why but a quick call gave him all the information he needed. She'd ordered Anderson to hold that young agent he'd seen in their office right before he'd gotten William's call this morning. She wanted the girl's clothes as well. Her clothes? Phil was perplexed. What did that agent have to do with any of this? He didn't have time to speculate, just borrowed one of the many SHIELD vehicles in his driveway and sped to the base to intercept his wife.

Again, he'd been too late. By the time Phil made it to the interrogation room, Melinda was being held by Rattoni and the girl had been whisked off to medical. He could only imagine what had happened and after a few words with Rattoni had escorted his 'still to angry to speak' wife back to their office. Once inside she broke, fell into his arms and released emotions he hadn't seen in decades. He knew the feeling, rage, panic, nausea, and total meltdown. If it were possible he would have gone to his knees and fallen apart.

Their child was missing.

And there was no greater terror that could befall a parent.

Phil swallowed that feeling and used every bit of strength he had to comfort his wife. She was collapsing in his arms, unable to hold herself on her feet under the weight of the emotion. He moved her to the nearest chair and eased her into it, going to his knees beside her. He realized only then that he too was in tears and all they could do was cry together. It was too unbearable to even speak or try to make sense of any of this. If either tried to start they would crack under the pressure.

"Why her?" Phil finally pulled himself together to ask. He drew a deep breath and reached for the tissue box on the desk.

"My jacket…" was her strange, half sobbed reply as she accepted a tissue from him.

They both took a few seconds to wipe their tears before continuing.

"Your jacket?" Phil wondered as he stood and blinked his swollen eyes to focus. He swiped both with a clean tissue then deposited the wad of Kleenex he held into the waste basket.

Melinda nodded, still barely able to speak as she too wiped her eyes and nose several times, pulling tissue after tissue from the box. "She's wearing it." She finally whispered.

Phil thought for a moment, trying to remember what the young agent was wearing, but he didn't really pay much attention to her for the few seconds he was in her company earlier. Black, it was black, but pretty much all of the operatives wore black and she was definitely Ops. He did remember how much she reminded him of Melinda. Maybe it _was_ the clothes but there was something about those eyes. He tried to get another look in the medical lab but the girl refused to make eye contact or just kept them closed. He wondered if she was making a conscious effort _not_ to look at him.

"If she has my jacket…" Melinda started and he could hear the anger taking over her emotions. Anger was strong, it masked everything else and Mel wielded it like a sword. "If she does and I am sure of it, then she has the rest of my clothes as well."

Phil narrowed his brows. "I'm sure they made more than one of those jackets Mel." He pointed out in a soft tone. No sense aggravating her.

Melinda stared for a second, stood and slammed her used Kleenex into the waste basket. "I'm sure they did, Phil, but I know my own jacket and my boots. I nicked the left inside arch on a blade back in Sakarya last fall. What are the chances she did the same thing?"

He stopped himself before asking how she noticed such fine detail, but then she was Melinda May and not much got past her. He drew a breath and nodded. "So you had Rattoni take the clothes."

She answered with a mere glance.

"And then you…" he didn't really need to ask.

"I lost it, Phil. I drove here telling myself I would just talk to her but when I saw her just sitting there with that damn smirk on her face…" She drew a breath and turned away then inhaled deeply before turning back. "Rattoni's not going to let me get within a foot of Med…but I will be there the next time they question her."

"I don't know, Mel." Phil shook his head. "Rattoni is pretty pissed right now. You'll be lucky if she lets you watch the video feed."

"How's my father?" She changed the subject.

"As good as expected," Phil breathed, almost glad she had. "He was walking Fox through the morning when I left. He insists he saw Skye this morning and spoke to her several times. Did you know she was nursing a sore throat?" He asked as if it were just casual conversation.

"She was perfectly healthy. You know that. She just got a clean bill of health from Dr. Simmons a week ago." Melinda scoffed.

Phil nodded. "William said something about her sounding hoarse. I just thought…" He let the comment fade and the room grew quiet.

"I'm going to…" they both spoke at once. Phil nodded and motioned for her to continue.

"I'm going to stay here and do some digging into Agent Johnson's records before I speak to her again." She held up a hand at his look. "Speak to her, Phil…I will speak to her, saving anything else I have for her until I have my baby in my arms."

"Little bit of that Hate-fu you do so well?" He teased quietly as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "I'll have someone bring you some tea…that camo-calm-down stuff you like." He grinned into her hair and felt the soft punch in his gut.

They slowly stepped apart.

"I'm going to Medical." Phil breathed as he heading toward the door. He expected an argument, a disagreeable growl at least but nothing stopped him. Turning back as he held the door knob, he cast a weak smile. "Maybe she'll talk to me now that you've loosened her up a little."

Melinda almost laughed, but it was more of a stifled sob. "I'll hold you to that tea."

He nodded as he pulled the door closed.

So, now Phil paced and waited and debated. He'd had that Agent Piper take care of Melinda's tea and was sure it had been delivered by now. He insisted on a whole pot and not just a cup. There was an awful lot of pent up anxiety in that small office. Pulling out his phone he checked for any messages he might have missed from William or Agent Fox on any progress they'd made at the house. There were none.

He pressed a hand to the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache brewing there. It was like Skye disappeared into thin air. There was no trace of her. They'd found the car and of course Skye had been in her grandfather's car hundreds of times…thousands probably. William had it detailed just that morning, swept clean. The techs found nothing to show the little girl had been there in the last few hours. There were no footprints leading from the house other than those they suspected were the suspect's. Of course that person could have been carrying Skye. Skye would have put up a fight, she was a fighter, unless it was someone she knew…someone she trusted.

Damn! Phil screamed in his mind. How could anyone get into a locked house without William knowing? Sure the man was up in years but he was sound of mind and still pretty spry. He'd been taking care of Skye since she was an infant. He would never knowingly put her in danger. And this Johnson…he'd never heard of her before today. Why would she just, out of nowhere, break into their house and steal their child? All of this made absolutely no sense.

Skye…she was pretty mischievous on her own. She was also pretty ticked at the fact mommy had confiscated her laptop and had no intention of returning it in the near future. Maybe their intrepid little progeny pulled a crazy stunt of some kind to teach them a lesson. What if she was hiding somewhere, waiting to be found? What if she assumed mommy would be so overjoyed she'd beg her to take back her treasured computer? Phil almost laughed out loud at the thought. Melinda would certainly have something for Skye but it would not be pleasant and yet it was more appealing that thinking some demented pedophile had their daughter.

Phil balled his fists and moved across the room again, suddenly understanding how Melinda could have lost it and gone after this Daisy Johnson person.

He hoped he could calm down before they wheeled her back into the room.

xx

May's first impulse was to shake some sense into Fitz. He'd sent Daisy on this wild goose chase and now couldn't control what was happening. It was all on her to find and fix this glitch in his system and he had absolutely no way to communicate with her. She clenched her fists but the look of terror on the little girl who stood just a few feet away stopped her cold.

Turning from Fitz and the computers, May relaxed her hands and opened her arms. "Skye," she called gently. "It's going to be alright, baobei. Fitz will figure this out." She stood and waited for the wide eyed little girl to move.

Skye blinked a few times, trying to make sense of everything that was happening. Daisy was gone. Her computer was making this big one stop working and everyone was mad at someone. She needed a hug to hold all of her fear from bursting out of her, but this May-mommy wasn't very happy to see her and she wasn't sure about anything now. Yet, it was her mommy's face and her mommy's voice and she needed her mommy right now. Skye let out a sob and raced into May's arms. Coulson joined them a moment later, wrapping both in his own embrace.

"It's okay, Skye. We'll fix this and get everything back where it belongs." He assured her.

"My mommy won't know who Daisy is." Skye sniffled. "She doesn't believe me about her."

May thought for a moment then turned to Fitz. "Fitz, where did you send Daisy? Exactly where?" Her voice immediately resumed its edge, although she remained gentle with her little one.

Fitz scratched his head and thought for a second then shrugged his shoulders. "I don't really know where any of you end up once you enter the program until you're there. I would suspect she appeared wherever Skye was at the time."

May turned back and looked down at Skye who answered before the question was asked. "I was just waking up. Yeye was calling me for breakfast." She mumbled into May's embrace.

"And your parents?" May asked.

Skye shook her head. "They already left. They don't work on Saturdays but they had to go for a little while. Yeye and I were gonna go to the farmer's market meet then at lunch time. I know mommy took my computer because she put it with her stuff last night." The little girl added the last comment with a pout.

May bent down to kiss the top of the little girl's head. She softly shushed her and made an attempt at some comfort while staring daggers at Fitz. He'd sent Daisy into the program, probably landing in Skye's bedroom from what Skye had said. The only good thing about the situation was that Skye's parents were not there. She wondered how her programmed father was reacting to the insanity.

"They have to be frantic." Phil's voice broke through her train of thought. "Their child is gone and they have no clue where she is or how to find her. All they have is…"

"Fitz….where. is. Daisy?" May demanded as she gently moved Skye into Phil's arms and marched toward the younger man.

Fitz turned about quickly and tapped the keys furiously. He looked up at the screen and pushed his wheeled chair across the counter and tapped a second keyboard then turned back to the incensed woman standing behind him.

"I…I…um, she was at the Playground. I think she might have been with you…or…or the other you…the program you and something…well, I lost her for a bit…then well…it seems she might be incapacitated just a bit."

"A bit?" May repeated. "A bit! How?" She stepped closer. He moved back.

"I don't think he can see that." Jemma interceded. "And from what I can see, Daisy's vitals are still fine. She seemed a bit agitated a short time ago but it ended quickly. I suspect, knowing Daisy," she gave a weak smile. "It was no doubt a skirmish of some kind."

"Skirmish?" May again repeated. "You two are making this seem like some kind of field trip. You, neither of you, have any idea what's going on in there." She turned to Fitz and pointed a finger at him. "You get this damn thing fixed and find a way to send me in there and drag her out." She turned and took a few steps toward the door then spun back. "And you better damn well hope she's not hurt."

Drawing a deep breath and letting it out slowly, May reached out a hand and smiled at the little girl still standing close to Coulson. "Come with me Skye, Coulson's going to make some breakfast for us." She glanced at him quickly and caught his quick nod as he and the little girl joined her exiting the room.

xx

Daisy winced at the pain in her head as the techs helped her back to the gurney and wheeled her back toward the med pod. She tried to shake off the vision of May…no, she told herself…Melinda slamming her into that wall. The look of hate that burrowed through her heart was the stuff of nightmares. She'd seen it before, many times, but never in the eyes of her mentor. May had been damn angry with her on more occasions than she wanted to count, but she never, ever looked at her like that. Not when she screwed up with Miles, not when she acted like a street brat or…the Afterlife fiasco or Hive or even when she ran away…never. Sure she was disappointed in her…lots…and that look was worse than the dreaded Wakatta, but never hatred like she'd seen today.

Daisy wasn't stupid, she'd put two and two together as soon as Rattoni shot Skye's picture at her. The kid was missing and someone, or everyone, was pretty sure she knew something about it. Daisy had no idea where the kid had gone but she suspected something that was virtually and actually impossible. But, hell she was here in this reality all blood and bones of her…the pain was a dead give away…so, wasn't it just as improbable that Skye was back on the gurney in Fitz's computer room.

She squeezed her eyes shut and felt the tears run back toward her ears but almost laughed thinking about Jemma's reaction. Ole Fitz would probably just take it in stride like it was something that should have happened, but Coulson and May…they would just go ballistic. For a split second, Daisy felt lucky to be where she was instead of in Skye's shoes…or bare feet as the case may be.

She tried not to think about the pain behind her eyes as the gurney bumped over the little imperfections in the floor. She thought about Skye being with May and Coulson and how much May loved that little girl. Maybe it would be better if it stayed like that. Hell, May and Coulson could really have their child and raise her and love her like they always wanted…like she always wanted. Here, Melinda was sure she had something to do with Skye's disappearance and when the kid wasn't found they'd find some way to blame her and hell, Melinda May would probably kill her. Then what would happen to Skye?

'If you die in there…you're dead out here.'

The words rang in her memory. She thought about Mace and how he'd sacrificed for those kids. She thought about almost losing Mack and how Coulson had been shot right before he let himself fall into the back door escape. She let herself feel the hurt she felt then.

She felt the gurney pushed back into the place and the brakes engaged as the tech made sure her restraints were secure. After they left the small room she knew someone…Coulson…Phil…was still there. Again tears ran from her closed eyes and tickled her ears. She wished she could brush them away.

"You know, it'd be a lot easier to talk to you if you'd look at me." Phil's soft voice broke the silence. He'd thought a lot while waiting and calming himself. He'd expected a monster when he burst into the medical pod and demanded to see her, but all he found was a kid…a young girl, small and injured…lying unconscious on the gurney. Her eye bruised, a gash across her bottom lip, strapped down like some crazed criminal and looking as innocent as a child. His heart had melted despite what was suspected of her. Melinda had taken the harsh method, attempting to beat the truth out of her. He knew he'd need to do the complete opposite. Maybe this kid needed a little tenderness…maybe he'd get more with honey than with vinegar. He'd try…for Skye.

"Agent Johnson?" He tried again.

Daisy shook her head slowly.

Phil took a breath and stared at his hands that lay in his lap. He drew a deep breath and looked at the techs moving and working in the lab outside the glass window of the pod. "My little girl is missing." He said slowly without looking at her. "She's a great kid." He started then snorted what might have been a masked sob. "Gets into her share of trouble and sometimes just a little too big for her britches, but she's smart and funny and sweet and…" He stopped as his voice cracked and the room fell back into silence.

Daisy could feel his anguish. She wished she could ease it. She heard him take another deep breath.

"I know you were in my house. I don't know why…why would you want Skye?"

Daisy shook her head, refusing to speak, not knowing what to say or how to say it.

"I don't want to see you hurt, Agent Johnson…are you really an agent?" He asked suddenly unsure.

She nodded and recalled the day Coulson had handed her a badge then welcomed her to SHIELD. It hadn't lasted long, but it was hers and he'd made her a part of the thing that meant the world to him.

"Then you know we'll never stop looking for her." He barely whispered.

 _'I'm Skye,'_ she wanted to scream, never wanting to cause this man any more pain than he already carried. She'd done enough of that. _'You'll never find her because she's me and I'm her and I'm here now.'_ Again the tears rolled toward her ears and she turned her head to try to stop them but felt a soft touch on her cheekbone as he gently wiped them with a soft cloth. She hadn't even realized she'd opened her eyes but found herself staring into his.

There was no hate…only hurt…only fear.

He looked back into her deep brown eyes and gave a weak smile. Her heartbreak stared back and something…something in those eyes told him to trust this girl…something in those eyes touched the same part of his heart only Skye could reach…

Something in those eyes….

 _¹Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2, William Shakespeare_


	43. 43 - We Gotta Get Outta This Place

**Chapter 43**

 **We Gotta Get Outta This Place**

Skye stared at the heart-shaped pancakes in front of her. Only daddy made those and only on Saturday mornings when they had all the time in the world for each other. Mommy went to the gym most Saturday mornings and Daddy kept telling her they should just rig up one in the basement, but she always said no and gave him a funny look. She'd leave and they'd spend the next few hours together always starting with a plate of heart-shaped pancakes.

The little girl chewed her bottom lip and looked up at Coulson who was plating a few of the treats for himself. May had chosen a container of yogurt and some fruit Skye really didn't recognize. "Is it Saturday here, too?" She asked just a little above a mumble.

Coulson stopped with a flapjack half on and half off the turner. He cast a quick glance at May and then smiled at the child. Time was a confusing thing for kids to begin with and now this one was dealing with dual reality time factors. No, it wasn't Saturday here in 'Reality Land', in fact it was Thursday…the third one of the month and lucky for everyone the day supplies were delivered before sunrise. Coulson couldn't imagine how to explain the two dimensions to Skye let alone the difference in days; although he was pretty sure she suspected things were a little off.

"It's not, right?" Skye interrupted his thoughts.

"Things are a little different here, kiddo." Coulson smiled as he set his plate on the table and poured a glass of milk for Skye. "You know time zones and all."

May rolled her eyes.

Skye half smiled. "I know about time zones. I know if it's," she looked at the cockeyed clock and turned her head to match its angle. "Eleven thirty seven here, then it's eight thirty seven in Los Angeles." She shrugged her shoulders and tapped a finger on the edge of her plate. "That's _if_ we're still in DC."

"We are." May stated flatly as she picked up the fork and handed to the little girl. She jutted her chin toward the food with an unspoken command to start eating.

"Hours change but not days." Skye breathed as she turned the utensil on its side and cut into the small stack of pancakes. Tiny dots of chocolate peeked out of the golden cakes. Her brows went up for a second. Daddy snuck mini chips in her pancakes, when Mommy wasn't looking, all the time. She threw Coulson a quick glance and caught his just as quick 'shhh' motion. "'Cept when you cross the National Date Line," she added quickly, shifting her gaze to May, then stuffed a bite in her mouth. Again the little girl's eyebrows rose. These tasted exactly like the pancakes Daddy made. She stared at Phil for a moment, then smiled.

"International," May sated as she set down her tea cup. She let them play their game. She was used to it and it was harmless…mostly. Skye questioned her with a look. " _International_ Date Line," she added.

"Yeah, that one," Skye nodded as she took another bite followed by a gulp of milk. She swallowed hard and raised her arm to swipe it across her face. May's glare stopped her with her elbow still in the air. The woman slid a napkin across the table. Skye snatched it and wiped her mouth. "But it's only a day, I think. I can't remember tomorrow or yesterday, but it probably goes with what way _you're_ going." She shrugged again and took another bite then spoke around it. "We learned it in geography. I don't remember it all."

Coulson smiled with pride.

"Don't speak with your mouth full," May scolded.

Skye nodded and snapped her mouth closed until she swallowed. "What day is it, then?" She asked again, took a quick sip of milk and waited for an answer.

May noticed the same anticipation Daisy displayed when she didn't get an answer fast enough. She hid it a little better these days, but it was still there. It glowed out of Skye. May looked at Coulson, picked up her cup and tipped it toward him. This was all his. He could do the explaining.

"You're right, Skye. It does depend on the way you're traveling. East means you subtract a day, west means you add one." Coulson elaborated while skirting the actual question.

Skye rested her elbow on the table and head on her hand and listened. "But if we're still in DC then we didn't cross any lines. Right?" She raised her eyebrows and waited.

"Rrr..right," Coulson agreed. "No lines were crossed, but you know it's not a real line don't you?"

Skye nodded without raising her head. "It's like long-a-tute and lat-a-tute. They're not really marked on the earth, only on a globe. I hate using all those degrees and north south things." She popped another mouthful of pancake into her mouth and chewed, started to speak then realized May was about to stop her so she sopped herself.

Coulson laughed. "They come in handy…even with computers." He recalled how Daisy had set a password on her laptop that would only work at a certain compass point.

"I guess it's not Saturday." Skye turned up one side of her mouth as she pushed the last few pieces of breakfast around in the syrup on her plate. "You just don't want to tell me that I crossed over more lines than the pretend ones on a map." She tapped her fork lightly on the plate a few times as Coulson and May exchanged glances.

"Thursday," Coulson breathed. "Today's Thursday and yeah, you crossed something more than lines."

Skye took a breath and let it out in a huff. "Can I ask you something else?"

"Sure, kiddo, what do you need to know?" Coulson smiled.

May shook her head. He knew there were questions the kid would ask that they could not answer.

"How come when I get big my name is Daisy? Why do I stop being Skye?" She scrunched up her face in confusion.

May couldn't help the snigger. Daisy changed her name but she never stopped being Skye. As far as May was concerned the girl would always be Skye, but she would respect her decision to use the name given her. Until now it was the only thing she had that linked her to any kind of past. May understood.

"Is it a nickname?" Skye pondered as she finished her pancakes and set down the fork. "Do I really like flowers when I get big? Daisies are pretty, but I like Lilacs. They grow in my Yeye's garden and I really love the smell. He has purple and pink and white and they all smell different. People don't know that, but they do." She thought for a moment. "I guess I'd like to be called Daisy instead of Lilac. That's kinda dopey."

May passed the girl a banana and nodded remembering her father telling her the same thing about lilacs. "Do you remember being here before, Skye."

The little girl took a large bite of the fruit and nodded her head as she tried to chew with a much too full mouth. May pursed her lips, shook her head and passed Skye another napkin.

"I was Daisy last time. Well, not really." She stated after swallowing and taking a small bite. "I didn't like being big. I thought it would be fun but not all at once so fast. I think it's better to grow there the normal way." She giggled a little before continuing. "I don't think Daisy liked being little either. She got her butt tanned for being a smart mouth."

"She probably deserved it." May smirked. Coulson shook his head.

"But I didn't know why I was Daisy and not Skye. I mean my name part." Skye explained.

"What did Daisy tell you?" Coulson asked as he took the plates from the table and moved to the sink.

Skye grabbed her glass and Coulson's mug and followed. "I never asked her. I knew she wouldn't tell me."

"Oh?" Coulson looked down at the little girl at his side.

Skye shook her head. "I can kinda tell what she's thinking sometimes cuz she kinda thinks inside my head." She scrunched up her face. "I know that sounds weird but I can hear her thinking and I know she won't tell me. I can hear her memories too, but she doesn't let me see all of them. I think they scare her or me so I stop looking."

Coulson stared at the little girl for a moment, trying to make sense of what she was trying to tell them. "You know what Daisy's thinking?" He wanted to be sure.

Shaking her head, Skye replied, "not all the time, but sometimes when she's not pushing me out or pushing herself out. I'm not really sure how it works. I told you it's weird."

"Can you tell all the time or only when you're together?" Coulson pressed as he washed a dish, rinsed it and set it in the strainer.

Skye shrugged again and turned to lean on the counter. "I don't know. It changes. First it was only when she came to see me and it was really fast. I didn't know what it was and then when we started sharing who was in control it got a little easier, cuz I guess when Daisy was being in control she wasn't blocking me out so hard. I could hear her memories better when she wasn't watching."

"What kind of memories, Skye?" May motioned for the little girl to sit back down. Skye complied and slid into a chair next to the woman who looked so much like her daughter it was almost frightening. The only thing different was her voice.

"Some weren't good," Skye sucked in her lip and shook her head. "She was sad and scared and…" the child stopped and squinted her eyes as she thought. "Lonely, yeah I think she was lonely." She shook her head again. "She didn't think anybody loved her." She suddenly sat up straight and narrowed her eyes at May. "I know my mom and dad love me, even if they get mad at me sometimes. Even if they punish me." She ended with a mumble. "If I'm Daisy and you're my, I mean her…" she took a deep breath. "I mean our parents, why doesn't she know you love her?"

Coulson put the last dish in the strainer, wiped his hands and joined the others at the table. "It's a little complicated." He smiled at the mini version of Daisy.

Skye cocked her head to one side and almost smiled at him for a second before shaking her head and giving a small laugh. "You don't think I understand what's happening, do you? You think I don't know what that big computer does."

May raised her brows and glared at Coulson. She knew how smart Daisy was and how she was able to deduce things a lot faster than most. It didn't surprise her at all that Skye would figure things out for herself.

Coulson smiled at May and then at Skye as he tapped a finger lightly on the back of the little girl's hand. "And just what is it you think is happening with that big old computer?"

Skye narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not a baby, you know. I read…a lot and well I just figured it out. Nobody told me and Daisy didn't think it either." She quickly defended her big self, not wanting to cause trouble for anyone.

"Absolutely," Coulson smiled. "You are certainly no baby and it doesn't surprise us at all that you figured this out. Does it May?" He looked to his partner who pursed her lips and gave an almost invisible shake of her head.

"My Yeye says it's impossible but all of this just proves it and today I figured out what the difference is with you and the other yous." Skye smiled with pride giving a little nod. "Daisy's me when I grow up and you're my mom and dad when they grow old so I figured out that Fitz doctor guy made a time machine and me and Daisy keep going in and out of it." She folded her arms over her chest and dropped back against the chair, very satisfied with her deductions.

May and Coulson exchanged a glance.

"Old?" May sneered playfully as she mimicked the little girl's posture.

Skye held out one hand. "I know it's kinda hard for you but ya know kids grow up and parents get old. It's just how it happens. You can't get all goofy about it."

"So you figured out the time machine, huh?" Coulson shook his head and leaned forward to rest his chin on his hand, elbow on the table. "You are an awful smart young lady."

Skye bounced back to the table and folded her arms on top of it. "Some parts still are crazy, like why Daisy's memories don't match mine but mommy says you remember things different when you get bigger." She shrugged again. "Daisy remembers a mean doctor trying to take her away. He wants to be her father but I never get to hear all of that one. Maybe it happens when I get bigger, but I hope not cuz it's really scary."

Coulson put a hand on top of the little girl's and took a breath. "Don't you worry, Skye. I'm sure we'll make sure it doesn't happen to you."

"That's it!" Skye sat up straight and snapped her finger in front of Coulson. "That's why he made it. I should have guessed by the way he talks and all!"

This time May shrugged her shoulders. She had no idea what light just flicked on in her little girl's head. Daisy had a wild imagination. Skye's was probably infused with the innocence of childhood where nothing was impossible.

Skye's smile spread from ear to ear. Coulson smiled as well. "Care to share?" He laughed.

The little girl was so excited now she could barely stay seated. "You know that show about the doctor that goes traveling around in the closet thing that is really a space ship?" She waited, figuring everyone knew about that program.

May and Coulson looked at each other for a beat, then shook their heads. Neither had time for watching any television program let alone something that seemed so preposterous.

Skye let out a frustrated breath. "Okay, well how about the other one. The old one with the guy who got stuck and had to keep being other people til he got home but I don't think he ever did and his friend Al tried to help but nobody could see him?"

Again the couple shook their heads.

Skye stood, threw her arms in the air and shook her head. "It doesn't matter they just travel back in time and fix stuff so it happens the right way." She stopped for a second clearly caught by a thought or a distant memory. "Like when Daisy pulled me away from the car almost hitting me! What if I died the first time?" She dropped back into her chair. "What if worse stuff happens and she has to keep saving me?" Now the child seemed a bit subdued, frightened by her own imagination.

May stood and carried her tea cup to the sink. "Nothing is going to happen, Skye."

Skye turned and watched May wash out her cup then set it in the dish strainer. "That's right. You already know, right? You know what happens to Da…me. You can…"

"Hey," Coulson stopped her before she could continue, knowing the child would look for details they could not give. "Have you ever seen Back to the Future?" Skye nodded. "Okay, then you know we can't tell you anything about what might happen because it could change things the wrong way, right?"

Skye scrunched up her face. That sounded goofy but she understood so she nodded and let out a sigh. "Even the time machine thing doesn't splain why we switched places again. Dr. Fitz said it was because I was too small but now Daisy's scared and kinda sad too. She can't even get the laptop cuz her arms are tied to something." The child wasn't really speaking to May or Coulson, she was pretty much thinking out loud.

May turned toward the little girl. Coulson was out of his chair and kneeling in front of her so quickly he startled her. Skye jumped back against the chair as he took her by the upper arms. "You see what's happening?" He almost shouted but reined back when he saw the fear in the little girl's eyes.

Skye looked up at May and then back to Coulson. She shook her head quickly. "N-no," she stammered.

Coulson realized what he'd done and stood, taking the child with him. He traded places with her in the chair and gathered her in his lap. "I am so sorry, Skye." He hugged her close and ran his hand gently over her hair. "I didn't mean to scare you. I was…just so surprised."

May gently rubbed the little girl's back. "We're very worried about Daisy, Skye, that's all."

Skye cuddled against the man she knew was her father. She breathed in the scent of his cologne and listened to his heart beating under her ear. "I…I only _hear_ Daisy a little, sometimes…I c-can't see anything."

May nodded with a soft smile. "It's okay." She whispered.

Coulson kissed the top of the little girl's head and looked up at May.

It was a one in a million shot, but Skye was an extension of the program and just maybe she brought a little of it with her.

xx

"Well, Johnson," Rattoni's voice shattered the silence of the small room. Phil had left about twenty minutes ago leaving Daisy alone with her thoughts…and plans. "Doc says nothing is broken, no concussion, just some bumps and bruises. You'll live." She dropped the clipboard she held on the small metal table with a loud clang. "At least until Agent May has at you again." The sneering laugh set Daisy's teeth on edge.

Rattoni opened a drawer and pulled that damn tan jumpsuit out, tossed it on the bed and moved to take the restraints from the patient. "Get dressed, we've got some new quarters for you."

Daisy glared at the woman and rubbed her arms where the straps had been. Her ankles itched from the pilly fabric that had rubbed against them for hours. She pushed herself off the bed and stood waiting for the woman to exit or at least turn around and give her some privacy. They merely stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Oh yeah, forgive me," Rattoni smiled as she reached to the side and pressed a button that opaqued the window that faced the lab, then folded her arms over her chest and waited. "Don't have all day, Johnson." She smirked.

Daisy held the growl that she felt in her throat and once again was forced to change in front of this weirdo. She jammed her legs into the bottom half of the suit then turned her back and ripped off the medical gown letting it drop to the floor before she shoved her arms into the top half and zipped it before turning back. Apparently the agency didn't budget for undergarments but she wasn't about to let Ratatouille know it bothered her. The woman was still standing there with that bizarre smirk on her face as she tossed the slippers to the floor at Daisy's feet. Daisy smirked right back as she slowly slid them on and waited.

Rattoni stepped aside and motioned toward the door. Daisy took a few steps, ignoring the throbbing in her head. The door did not open as she approached stopping her with a jolt. Rattoni let out a snort. "You didn't really think you'd just go parading around the base now did you?" She yanked Daisy's arm, pulling it behind her and snapped on the cuffs, ignoring the bandages on the girl's wrists as she secured both hands. Grabbing Daisy's elbow, Rattoni released the door and stepped into the hall where she joined three other agents who escorted the prisoner to a familiar cell.

Once inside the cuffs were removed and the agents left without a sound. Rattoni left last, casting that damn smirk as she slid the door closed and engaged the lock. It sounded louder than usual and Daisy wondered if it were possible to slam it closed.

She stood in the center of the dark grey room, recognizing it as the cell she'd confined herself to right after Sif and that Kree guy tried to take her away. She was pretty sure, back then, that everyone was against her and she'd be better off locked away from all of them. Anyway, it was better to ostracize yourself than to have people you thought you loved toss you away like yesterday's trash. She remembered the feeling…remembered the hurt as if it just happened and took a deep breath to push it away. Now was no time to get nostalgic…or pathetic as the case may be.

Daisy needed to think. Getting out of this damn cell was first priority and getting that damn, blasted laptop was the second. She planned on starting that insipid program and when she got back to…to…Fitz, she planned on shredding it and _HIM!_ And maybe, just maybe take a little piece of that Ratoony creep as well. Gawd, she hated that woman. Who the hell was she anyway? No one, absolutely no one she'd come across…wait a minute…yeah she did remind her of…no…he wouldn't…

"Oh, Fitz, you are in deep shit." She spoke to no one, pulling her hands into tight fists and sending shards of pain up both arms.

Take away the pulled-back-into-a-too-tight-bun-hairstyle and add a couple pinkish purple streaks and a funky pair of spectacles and yep, there'd she be…Victoria Hand. Daisy hadn't had a lot of experience with the woman but she was sure the Level 8 operative despised her. Hell, she threw her off the bus and would have locked her up like an unwanted stray if the team hadn't pushed her in another direction. Daisy actually smiled at that memory. It was the first time they really trusted her after the stupid stunt she pulled with Miles. May's look when she opened that door still gave her nightmares.

Daisy turned at the sound of a soft swoosh. She turned to see a tray slipped through the small rectangular opening near the door. A second swoosh signaled the opening on the opposite side had closed. She approached and stared at the tray that now rested on the ledge. It contained a small soft drink and what looked like a bologna sandwich. There was also a small paper cup that contained two white tablets. A note under it read, 'for pain, take with food'.

Smirking at the camera, Daisy flashed a one finger salute. She wasn't hungry and she was not about to take any kind of medication. She needed to be focused. She walked across the room and laid down on the mattress that apparently was intended as a bed. Sooner or later they'd be here to question her again.

She'd be ready.

xx

Melinda marched into the computer lab and thrust the laptop on the first tech she approached. "Fix this," she commanded.

The skinny young man looked at the machine for a second before taking it from her. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat. "What…ah…what seems to be the problem?"

"It doesn't work." Melinda sneered.

The guy smiled, almost laughed until he saw the look in her eyes. He swallowed again. "Yes, well that happens time to time," he hedged as he set the laptop on the desk and tried to squeeze between her and his chair. "Let me get you another and we'll take care of this for you. Just give me…"

"Now," Melinda demanded

The man stopped with his mouth half opened. "Um…well, that might be a little difficult…I mean it's not like I can just…and there's…"

"NOW," she repeated in the same voice, just a little louder.

The tech smiled. "I understand you get used to your own device but I assure you all of…"

"I don't want another _damn_ device. I want this one fixed, now!" She grabbed the man by the lapel of his lab coat and forced him into the chair he had vacated then jerked her head toward the laptop.

"Well, yes, then, of course…I'll just…just," the guy stammered as he reached with shaky hands to open the device.

Melinda stood back with her arms across her chest and glared at him.

"It…it could take a few m-minutes or m-maybe hours," he swallowed as the laptop programs loaded. "I can c-call you as s-s…"

"I'll wait." She barked and he nodded as he turned toward the screen.

The tech swallowed the urge to smile and choked on his laugh as the cartoon themed screen opened. Here stood all big and bad Melinda May and her screen saver was a bobble head standing in a field of daisies. Wait til he shared this with the guys in the lunch room, take her down a peg or two wouldn't he. That and the pretty unicorn on the top threw a whole new light on the woman who had some young agents wetting themselves if she so much as looked at them. Well, that was the rumor anyway.

He tapped a key, expecting the desktop to appear. Instead a large red box filled the screen demanding a password. He stared at it for a moment then asked without looking at the agent. "Ah…I…a…need your password…unless you…um, a want to put it in yourself. You can change it when we're done." He hoped, no prayed she'd do it herself because if she said something like 'pixie dust' or 'griffindor', he knew he would not be able to contain himself. He'd laugh right out loud and she'd probably kill him right where he sat. So he sat as still as possible, with his fingers over the keyboard, staring at the screen.

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be here," Melinda looked at the name on his jacket, "Chuck."

"You mean you forgot." This was even better. He couldn't believe it. The high and mighty _forgot_ her password.

Melinda drew a deep breath and looked to the ceiling before attempting a civil answer. "No, I mean I don't know what it is."

Now, Chuck dropped his hand and turned to face her. "Wait a minute, is this your laptop or not because I am not authorizzzzzzzzzzzz…"

Again she had him by the lapel, this time lifting him to his feet and pulling him close enough that he could feel her breath on his face. "I don't give a damn about your authorization." She said slowly and calmly and more frightening that if she screamed at him. "I want you to fix it." Giving him one firm shake she dropped him back into the chair.

He adjusted his tie and jacket then turned to the computer letting out the breath he'd been holding. He tapped one key and the computer let out a tiny squeal before the dialogue box flashed with a new message. _'You have exhausted your attempts to enter a correct password. Device has been locked for your protection.'_ It blinked several times before the screen went black and the soft hum that let them know it was working faded to nothing.

Chuck dropped his hands into his lap relieved to find that part of his anatomy dry and his dignity intact. He let out a sigh and shook his head. "This is a very sophisticated protective device. It's gonna take some time to figure it out. I might have to have the team take a look."

"I don't have time for that. I need it now." Melinda growled.

Chuck tapped a key but got no response. "It's shut down as part of the defense. I'm not sure how long it will be before I can reboot it and there's not much I can do if it isn't even turned on." He shook his head again. "Whoever programmed this baby really knows their stuff."

He was truly impressed. Chuck had only read about this kind of protection. It was something most techs just talked about. He wasn't even sure anyone had ever done it…well, apparently they did, but he'd never read that. "You gotta tell me who this belongs to, I gotta find out how he or she did this." The man was clearly in awe.

"What are you talking about? _You_ did this." Melinda snarled.

"Me?" Chuck pointed to himself as he shook his head. "Hey, agent, I'm good but no way am I that good. I don't know anybody in this lab that good. This is stuff they're only imagining and…wow, somebody's gone and done it."

Melinda cursed under her breath. "This computer was programmed in this office a few months ago, whatever is in it came from here." She tapped on the desktop with each word.

"Ooookaaaay," Chuck breathed as he snapped the top closed and turned the device over. "Let's see who did the programming." He bumped himself closer to his own keyboard and tapped in the serial numbers from the small sticker pasted to the back of the machine. A few seconds later a document appeared on the screen. He leaned forward to examine it. "Looks like Susko and Sinkaus did the work back in…ah…October….refurbished an old device for…Phillip Coulson." He smiled up at her but looked back quickly when she did not return that smile.

Chuck ran his finger down the list of tasks the techs had completed then scrolled to the next page and did the same with the list of programs they'd installed. He shook his head again. "Nope, our guys did not add this password program or this wild screen saver. Most they put here was some sort of net nanny and a timer of some sort to shut down the device at specific times throughout the day. Nothing sophisticated at all. In fact, looks like it was set up for a kid considering the internet restrictions and some of the programs." He looked up at her and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess if you really wanted it to work we could dump the hard drive and start over. Of course you'd lose everything there now, but it would work." Chuck shook his head. "Sure would be a shame to lose that password device before we could get a good look at it."

Melinda let out a long breath over her lip. "No, I need whatever information is in this laptop. It might be the only way to find my…" She stopped herself. She would not break down in front of this tech. "The answers I need."

"Tough case, huh?" Chuck sighed. "Sorry, I can't help. Maybe if you let it go until tomorrow I can turn it back on and see if I can break the password." He seemed a little more eager to help.

"I don't know if I have that long." Melinda whispered as she reached for the laptop then turned and exited the lab.

Chuck watched her for a few minutes then turned back to his work. Maybe if agents opened up a little bit more, techs might be more helpful.

xx

Coulson stood staring at the report he'd picked up from Melinda's desk. The DNA extracted from the clothing matched Johnson and his wife. There was no denying the young woman had taken the clothing from their home. He wanted to laugh it off. It could have been funny. Some young up and coming agent wanting to be Melinda May or maybe on a dare by some teasing older agents…that _would_ be a joke, but Skye was missing and that was heart wrenching.

He tried not to picture his little girl terrified in the arms of some low life or bound and gagged on some filthy rat eaten mattress in a barren warehouse. The horrific things that could befall a child were too much for the man. He tossed the report on the desk. It slid across other forms and revealed an agent's wallet under them.

He picked it up and flipped it open. Daisy Johnson smiled back at him and again he stared into those eyes. They were not the eyes of a terrorist or someone who might cause harm to a child. No in those eyes he saw more hurt than hate. He couldn't help looking at those eyes because they reminded him so much of the two people he loved most…his wife and his daughter…and this girl seemed to be a combination of both. Phil couldn't shake it. He wanted to hate this woman, to blame her…hell all the evidence pointed to her being guilty…and yet he didn't see it.

Phil was angry…livid. He wanted to scream and threaten and shake the truth out of her. Maybe she did know something…maybe she was trying to help…maybe someone was out to get him or Melinda for some past insult and Johnson was on the case…maybe they were looking at it all wrong. Maybe Daisy Johnson wasn't the problem.

Maybe she was the answer.


	44. Chapter 44 - I'm Here for You

**Chapter 44**

 **I'm Here for You**

Phil paced in front of the cell door, debating on whether to approach the young girl inside. Melinda was convinced this Johnson chic was guilty. She'd already tried, convicted and decided punishment for the young girl. But, even the incensed Melinda knew Agent Johnson had to remain alive in order to give them the information they needed. That, however, wouldn't stop the enraged mother from bringing the girl to her knees in order to get it.

Phil wasn't so sure. He had no doubt that Daisy Johnson was in their home this morning, but he just did not see her as some warped kidnapper that would steal off with a kid in broad daylight. He also thought about Skye. His daughter would not go willingly with someone she didn't know and he was sure Skye had never met Agent Daisy Johnson. Before this morning, no one on base had ever heard of the girl. It was like she just appeared out of nowhere. But she could have been dark, working in the shadows…maybe investigating some weird sect that did in fact nab children in broad daylight. Maybe she had that information. But if that were a fact why wouldn't she just share it with them…why all the secrecy?

His mind flip-flopped theories as quickly and often as he changed direction in his pacing. He was not used to the indecisiveness…the failure to act stifled by the trepidation of his daughter's disappearance.

xx

Melinda marched back to her office only because she had nowhere else to go. That damn tech was no help and now, according to him, this machine would keep itself turned off until it was damn good and ready to do whatever the hell it did. She was tempted to throw it against the wall, but if Skye was…was what?

Why was she hiding a few nights ago and why was she so adamant about keeping this damn thing? Melinda asked herself, suddenly remembering the argument Skye had put up when she was caught in the middle of the night with this damn thing. She set the laptop back on her desk and stood recalling the incident.

'I should have just talked to her…' Melinda thought. 'She was so upset and I…I was so angry.' She berated herself for her actions that night, vowing to be a bit more understanding with her changing child. It would be wonderful if Skye stayed a dependent little girl forever, but she was growing up. Melinda closed her eyes and squeezed away the tears. She tried to take a breath but it brought too much pain. What if she didn't grow up? What if she was… No, Melinda refused to let her self go there.

"Daisy…" Melinda said in little more than a whisper, remembering the conversation she had had with her little girl on that same night. "Daisy," she said louder. Skye had been near hysterics that night, so upset that _Daisy_ might be gone forever. Melinda hadn't really thought about it since then. Skye had talked about _Daisy_ all her life. She and Phil chalked it up to their baby's wild imagination creating an imaginary friend. They had even spoken to her pediatrician about it and were assured it was perfectly normal. Skye would eventually grow out of it and the imaginary Daisy would just disappear. Skye more than likely would not even remember her playmate. But, that night Skye had cried bitterly over the anticipated loss of Daisy as if she was a real person. Nothing Melinda said could convince her otherwise.

"Because she _is_ a real person," Melinda exhaled as she realized what had happened.

Skye hadn't spoken of Daisy for years until that laptop came into the house…until just after Christmas when she finally got the piece of technology she had begged for for months. How easy would it be for some predator to find out about Skye's imagination and take on that persona? But why? Why target their little girl? And how? It wasn't like Skye was ever a topic of conversation here at the base.

There was one person who could answer all those questions and she was just a few floors below…locked in a cell…where she could not escape Melinda's interrogation.

xx

Phil turned as the security door at the end of the hall whooshed open. Melinda stormed toward him and slammed her hand against the lock on the cell door before he had a chance to speak. It opened without a sound. She glared at him once before stepping over the threshold. He stepped as well and closed the door behind him.

Daisy lay on the small bed with her arms behind her head, staring at the ceiling. She knew they'd come. They had too. Coulson and May would come…if it were her…if she was missing. She knew they would and almost laughed at that knowledge, not because it was funny but because it was fact. They always came…even when she adamantly told them she did not need them. She wanted to remember, to think about all those times but now was not the time. Now, she would have to bear the look of hate this Melinda had for her and the empty look this Phil could not hide.

"Get up." Melinda barked as she marched toward the bed.

Daisy blinked a few times, but remained where she lay. She drew a deep breath and waited.

"I said, get up. I don't ask twice." She growled as she stood over the girl.

Daisy glanced at the woman then back to the ceiling. "You didn't actually _ask_ and you _did_ say it twice." She smirked. "Furthermore, why would I get up when you're just gonna knock me on my ass anyway?"'

Melinda was already livid. A snarky attitude only pushed her farther. Phil stepped closer hoping to stop the beating before it began. "Maybe we should all take a step back." He smiled as he carefully stepped between the two women. His wife glared at him as he stood in front of her. "She won't be in any shape to help if you hurt her, Mel. Let's try talking." He raised his brows in a silent plea.

Letting out a frustrated breath and closing her eyes, Melinda stepped back. Phil let out the breath he was holding and turned to the girl still on the bed. "Can we talk?" He asked.

"I didn't hurt your kid and I…I don't have her." Daisy remarked without looking at him. She couldn't bare that look in his eyes.

Melinda paced across the room trying to expend some of the anger she fought to control.

"May I?" Phil asked motioning toward the foot of the bed. Daisy looked at the spot for a moment then sat up and nodded, still refusing to meet his eyes. For a moment he watched his wife pace as the girl next to him stared at the floor. "I believe you." He spoke quietly.

"What!" Melinda bellowed as she marched toward him. "How can you…"

Phil held up a hand silencing her. "Think about it Mel. Why would she take Skye and then come here? Why leave all the evidence that points only to her and come right to us? There has to be more to this. Look at her Mel…just look. She's just a kid herself."

"That means nothing." Melinda spat through her teeth.

Phil let out a breath and turned back to Daisy. "Do you know where she is? What happened?"

He sounded so desperate. Daisy had never heard that tone in _her_ Coulson. She let out a soft breath and clutched the edge of the mattress, shaking her head. "I really don't know where yo…" she stopped and swallowed hard. She knew exactly where their daughter was…sitting right in front of them…the daughter they didn't know…yet. Daisy looked up quickly at May who glared back with such hate it almost burned. Quickly she looked back to the floor. "Skye, I don't know where Skye is right now."

Melinda stepped forward, grabbing the girl by the shoulder and pulling her to her feet. "You've been communicating with her on that damn laptop, haven't you?" Daisy kept her eyes to the floor. "Haven't you?" She shook the girl who did nothing to defend herself.

Coulson's jaw dropped at his wife's accusation. "Mel…that's impossible, the techs made sure no one could…it was…"

"Look at her, Phil. Smart ass, know it all…she can probably run circles around those airheads in tech. I told you. I told you, Skye was going on and on about some Daisy she needed to talk to and then she shows up. Yeah, I think she knows a lot more than she's telling us and know just how to fix that." She brought her other hand to Daisy's face and squeezed it together roughly before snapping her sideways and dropping her back to the mattress.

Daisy sat down hard and squeezed away the tears that threatened to flow. This was her worst nightmare…rejected by the only woman she ever considered a real mother. For a second she considered telling them both the truth but knew they would never believe such an insane story. She had to tell them they weren't even real and how could she even explain how she was here when she didn't understand it herself.

Phil rose quickly and stood between the woman, gently coaxing his wife back and away from the young agent. "Mel," he whispered, "give her a chance…hell, give me a chance to get her to talk to me before you…" he paused searching for the right words. "Before you have her so scared she won't tell us anything." He finished, looking over his shoulder at the girl who still stared at the floor.

Melinda let out a sputter and pulled away from him. "Look at her, Phil. She's no agent…who falls apart like that so easily? Her S.O. would be so proud." She sneered sarcastically.

Daisy felt the words stab her but this time the hurt pushed her in another direction…May, her May, the May that trained her, the May that made her an agent. She drew a deep breath and pushed herself to stand. "You know nothing about my S.O." she snarled through her teeth moving almost nose to nose with Melinda. "And I would never…ever…" she poked the older woman's shoulder with each word, "hurt a child…any child and especially Skye."

For less than a moment Melinda was appalled at the girl's action. She leaned back on one foot and swung a fist that Daisy easily blocked. The younger again blocked the second and third as well as leaping over a round house kick that Phil merely backed away from as he watched the perfectly matched battle. Daisy did not advance or take the offense only defended every move Melinda made as if she anticipated each. Melinda moved back preparing to strike again then did something Phil was sure he would not see in this lifetime…she paused, dropped her stance and stared at the young girl crouched in defense before her.

"Who taught you that move?" Melinda demanded, dropping her arms to her sides. Phil knew that meant very little everything else about her right now was still poised to attack.

 _'You did…'_ hung on Daisy's tongue. _'You taught me everything I know about fighting…about defending…about winning.'_ Instead she stood up straight and relaxed just enough to give her opponent a false sense of holding the upper hand.

Melinda sprung on the young girl without warning. Daisy dropped to the floor and spun away from her attacker leaping back to her feet and sending Melinda forward with the thrust of one foot. It caught Melinda in the small of her back and forced her against the far wall. In essence the women had exchanged places. Daisy backed against the wall as Melinda stood with her back to the girl, breathing slowly, controlling her desire to finish this. She turned slowly, lifting her head as she did and narrowed her eyes at the girl. "No one fights like that." She growled.

"You do." Daisy grinned.

Phil stood speechless between them.

xx

Fitz ran a hand through his curly hair and let out a frustrated sigh. He'd tried everything he knew other than shutting down the entire program. Nothing had changed. Restarting everything would certainly reset it…well, maybe it would. Maybe it would delete everything, including Daisy. For a moment something inside him said that wouldn't be too bad, after all they had Skye. Coulson and May could just raise her as their own…like they should have anyway. She'd just be a normal everyday person, no Terragenesis, no inhuman powers, no nightmare Framework memories. His finger hovered over the off switch when another thought struck him. If Daisy died in the program she would be lost forever…it was highly possible Skye could suffer the same fate. They were connected. They were the same person, despite their difference in age and size. Could he live with that? Could he live knowing he had killed his friend…his family.

Fitz pushed his hands into his pockets and turned away from the computer taking a shaky breath that actually caused his heart to physically ache. That in itself was impossible. Fitz knew that. Feelings weren't part of a heart, they were in your head…hormones and synapses making people believe their hearts held all of that agony and ecstasy. He crossed the room slowly and stood next to the gurney that held Daisy a few hours ago. She'd gone back into that ill-conceived world he'd designed…gone back after she'd paid a high price for doing just the same thing a day ago. And he let her…practically pushed her into it in order to save this stupid thing.

Daisy's monitors blipped and beeped with a regular rhythm, something he still could not explain. Skye had been disconnected for almost an hour and yet the biometers still put out regular readings. Fitz placed both hands on the mattress and leaned forward, closing his eyes, silently asking the universe and any deity that might be listening to keep her safe until he could figure this out and bring her back.

"Fitz?" Jemma's soft voice brought him from his thoughts.

He took a deep breath and licked his lips before looking up at her. He said nothing. He didn't have to, she knew just by the unspent tears that he was at the breaking point. Jemma set down the small tray she'd carried into the room and took hesitant steps toward him.

"Perhaps you should take a break. I've brought some tea and well," she smiled, "I saved you some of that shortbread you're so very fond of and…" She paused when he closed his eyes again and stood up straight. He looked into her eyes, searching for the right thing to say…if there even was anything to say. They stared at each other for a moment before he once again shoved his hands in his pockets and stepped around the gurney.

Jemma watched as he made his way to the table and stared down at the small teapot and plate of biscuits. He brought one hand to the table and tapped his index finger lightly against it. "I can't fix this Jemma. I've tried everything I know. The risks are too great." He spoke quietly to the table top, unable to face the woman he still loved.

"Fitz," Jemma breathed next to him, her hand gentle on his shoulder. He had not even heard her approach and jumped slightly at her light touch. "I know you're doing the best you can. You've been at this for hours. You need to take a break, give yourself time."

"Daisy may not have time." He responded just above a whisper, fighting the urge to scream…to toss the biscuits, the tray…hell, the whole table across the room. Jemma didn't deserve that. He wasn't angry with her. "What if I can't…"

She was in front of him in an instant, her cool hands on his warm cheeks. "Leopold James Fitz, you are the smartest, most determined man I have ever known. You will find the answer. I believe in you. I always did. I always will." Jemma's voice cracked a little, but she took a breath and remained calm.

He took her wrist in his hand and closed his eyes, letting out a soft breath. Jemma's hands slid to his chest where he took them in his own. How could she still trust him…still love him so much after everything that had happened? He massaged her hands in his own, smiling at the familiar cold of her soft fingers. "Maybe not this time," he spoke to her fingers, still unable to look at her directly. "I've tried every thing I know to get past whatever is keeping the program from running. I'm afraid we just have to wait…" he paused and let out a shaky breath, looking past Jemma into nothing. His body shook with uncertainty. "Hope…we have to hope that Daisy can un-pause and hopefully reboot that laptop."

Jemma squeezed his hands tightly. "She won't let us down, Fitz. Daisy always comes through."

He looked down at her briefly, recalling some of the incidents and missions they had shared. Daisy had come through, but rarely without a lot of bumps and bruises. She sacrificed enough for their team…their family. The sight of her on the floor, at his feet…beaten and battered…flashed through his mind. He'd done that…ordered that…and knew his Doctor persona was more than willing to see her dead. _'What if…'_ No, he could not complete that thought.

"I've placed Daisy's life on that laptop, Jemma. What if I'm wrong? What if that is not the answer?" Fitz's voice shook with emotion as he pulled his hands from hers and walked back to stare at the concentric circles whirling around on his large computer screen. He turned slowly and strained to control the fear in his voice. "I can't get her back, Jemma. I can't get her back without correcting this problem I cannot even fathom." He threw up his hands and turned away quickly, clutching the back of the chair at the console so fiercely his knuckles whitened. "I can't solve a dilemma if I cannot even establish what that impediment can be." His voice rose for a moment, taking on a furious edge. He caught the look of anxiety on her face and dropped back to a defeated sigh.

Jemma watched and listened to the heartbreak in his voice, sharing every bit of it herself. If Fitz gave up, it would mean the end of more than his program. If he lost Daisy, she was sure he would never recover. She knew May and Coulson would never forgive him. She was at a loss. She had no more words of encouragement for him. She knew Fitz. She knew he was close to his breaking point, holding on to his frustration…anger at his inability to solve the problem…by a few thin strands. Even encouragement now could push him over the little control he still had. That did not mean she would not try. Jemma took a small step and opened her mouth to speak.

"Fitz, I think we may have something…" Coulson stopped her as he came through the door with Skye by the hand and May close behind.

xx

"Explain," Melinda barked, taking a step toward Daisy.

Daisy smiled and shrugged her clothing back into place. This damn jumpsuit was definitely not conducive to sparring. She refused to call it fighting, even to herself. She took a step toward Melinda, never losing her sarcastic smirk. "It's simple," she started. "You fight like this, why can't I?"

Melinda eyed the girl, narrowing her line of sight and moving in a circle that Daisy continued to match. That smirk…smile…the tone…something about was familiar, but Melinda was sure she had never come across this kid anywhere. Sure, she'd trained a lot of young agents at the academy through the years but never in the way this little snot showed off her skills. "S.O.'s name." She demanded. It wasn't a question.

Shaking her head, Daisy let out a snort. "Someone _you've_ never met." She almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of that statement. Hell, May had been kinda possessing this Melinda's essence for well, ten of the years in this reality.

"Impossible," May shot back standing an arm's length from the girl, straining to remember the face, the voice, the eyes, anything about this wise ass that would clue her recollection of knowing the girl.

Phil snapped out of his stupor…of watching his wife fight herself because without seeing their faces it was as if Melinda was in fact fighting with Melinda. "You've had a lot of students, Mel." He exhaled, more as a thought turned to words than a statement. He wanted to tell her there were other instructors…but knew no one could have taught the girl those moves except Melinda herself. The kid was a natural, fluid in motion almost as if it were a form of art. Phil shook his head. He'd always loved watching Melinda spar or work out or hell, yes engage in battle. It was like art, a deadly dance that only Melinda May Coulson knew instinctively. He believed that, wholeheartedly…that his Melinda was the only one who moved with such ferocious grace…until today.

"I asked you a question." Melinda growled at the girl in front of her.

Daisy shoved her hands in the oversized pockets of the shapeless jumpsuit and tugged out of places she never wished to have such a garment stick. "No," she grinned at Melinda. "You demanded and frankly, Agent May that information is classified." She straightened up and took a few steps away in a pseudo-swagger. She'd always wanted to say that and being able to say it to May, well not real May, gave her a weird feeling of satisfaction.

Melinda's eyebrow rose. She couldn't help thinking this little wannabe looked like Skye pulling at what she called 'dress up' clothes because they itched in all the wrong places. She was half tempted to order the girl to stand still. Instead she folded her arms over her chest and leaned back on one leg. "Classified." She repeated.

Once again, Daisy mimicked Melinda's stance. She'd learned a lot from May. How to keep her cool in intense situations and how to get out of them. How to use her anger to fuel her strength instead of draining her energy. She learned a bit from Coulson as well. She could think on her feet and channel her sarcasm to knock an opponent off mental balance. It all came pretty easy. Daisy smiled to herself. Of course it was easy…it was hereditary. She'd always had those skills…they just helped her to hone them and use them as benefits rather than handicaps. If she played this right she could have that computer and be out of this insanity before the end of day.

"I know more about you two than you'll ever know about me." She spoke calmly, knowing it was absolutely true. Melinda merely sneered the patented May sneer. Phil looked more than interested. He looked at his wife for a brief moment then moved to the young girl.

"What exactly do you think you know?" Now he was in agent mode. Phil took Skye by the elbow and urged her toward one of the chairs at the small table in the room.

 _'Okay,'_ Daisy told herself. _'It's a start. Take your time. Don't be too obvious.'_ "Enough." She answered, using May's one word response tactic.

Phil smiled that silly smile at her. "Okay, that's fair. Let's try why…why do you know about us?" He watched as Melinda moved to the background and stood close to the wall.

"I was following a lead." She explained. "That's how I ended up in your home this morning, but I swear to you I never saw your daughter." She answered honestly.

"And how is it no one here knew anything about that?" Melinda snarled from her perch behind them.

"Classified." Daisy smirked again. Melinda rolled her eyes. "There isn't a lot I can share."

"If it put our daughter in danger, I think you can." Phil shook his head, almost begging for more information.

"I don't think she's in any danger." Daisy answered without thinking, touched by this Coulson's broken hearted tone. She was pretty sure she'd love him in any reality.

"You do know where she is!" Melinda was on her in an instant, pulling her from the chair and pressing the girl against the wall for the second time.

"Mel!" Phil was on his feet.

"I don't." Daisy replied hoarsely, grabbing Melinda's hands and pulling them from her throat.

Melinda looked from the girl to Phil and let go. Daisy drooped for a second then stood and coughed a few times. Phil led her back to the chair and threw Melinda harsh look.

"I know you love her very much." Daisy whispered. "I know you're scared." She looked from one to the other. "I want to help. There's so much I can't say and most of it you…" she looked away for a moment and took a breath, coughed again and looked back to Phil. "You would never believe me."

"Agent Coulson? Agent May?" a tinny female voice came from everywhere.

"Yes," both agents answered together.

"You're both wanted in bio-tech, stat."

Melinda headed for the door and stopped before exiting, turning back to see why her husband was not at her side. Bio-tech was agency speak for medical…where injuries were treated…where bodies were taken…

"Get some rest," Phil placed a hand on Daisy's. "I'll have them send something for your throat."

Daisy nodded a weak smile and watched as the couple exited leaving her alone in the cage.

xx

Fitz stared at the little girl seated at the table before him. She in turn scrunched up one side of her face and stared back.

"She can't actually see or hear Daisy, but she says she knows…" Coulson looked to May.

"I think she can feel what Daisy is feeling or thinking. They're connected." May tried explaining what she and Coulson had determined from their conversation with the little girl.

Fitz stood back and wrapped one arm around his abdomen using it to prop his elbow. He tapped his chin with his index finger. "You are looking at this from the wrong angle. Skye does not feel or think what Daisy is feeling or thinking."

"Yes, I do!" Skye squeaked her protest, standing up then sitting back down quickly.

Fitz held up a hand. "I'm positive you do, Skye." Fitz nodded. "But it isn't because you two are connected."

Coulson cocked his head to one side, trying to make sense of the doctor's statement. They had all seen the connections. They'd seen Daisy's comical need for milk when Skye was an infant and experienced her speaking only in Chinese without even realizing she was doing so. The worst was both Skye and Daisy suffering through the virus they fought a few weeks ago. He couldn't imagine why Fitz was now claiming there was no connection between the two of them.

"The mistake we've all made is thinking of them as two." Fitz elaborated. "They aren't two, they aren't even _they_. There is no need for a connection because Skye and Daisy are one…two sides of the same coin. Skye _knows_ what Daisy feels and thinks because she _is_ Daisy." He turned to the little girl. "I think Skye knows that."

The little girl looked at the floor and picked a small nick in the table. She swung her feet that just touched the floor. "Daisy doesn't want to be me, but I want to be her." She mumbled without lifting her head. "We keep trying to give her good memories but she won't let them stick. Sometimes I think she's just afraid, but mostly she wants you to have the memories." She looked over her brows at Coulson and May then quickly back to the small piece of plastic she continued to pick. May laid her hand over the girl's and gave a soft squeeze. Skye looked up, smiled slightly and dropped both hands into her lap.

"It's okay, Skye." May spoke softly to the girl, "go on."

"Daisy keeps a lot of things in the dark places. They must be bad things because she doesn't even know she's hiding them. I let her have my memories, even the bad ones like when mommy is angry with me and even when she punishes me. She wants you to remember her when she was little like me but she won't let me help her remember you. I really don't get that part and sometimes it scares me." She looked up at May, tears brimming in her eyes. "Does something bad happen to me and you? Is that why we forget each other? Is that why my name is different?" Tears rolled over her cheeks as she shook her head slowly.

May squatted down in front of the little girl and brushed away the tears.

Skye drew a shaky breath. "I don't want my mom and dad to go away." Her resolved broke as she fell into May's arms. "I don't want you to forget about me." The little girl broke into uncontrolled sobs as May held her close and shushed her softly. She looked up at Phil.

"Maybe this wasn't the best idea. She's just a little girl. This is too much for her."

Coulson stepped forward and took the little girl into his arms as May stood. He easily lifted the slight child and held her close. She rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was Daddy. He felt the same, smelled the same, sounded the same and definitely hugged the same.

"I'm sorry, angel. We shouldn't have asked so much." Coulson took a step toward the door.

Fitz started to speak but was silenced by Jemma's gentle touch on his arm. He turned to her. "She's just a baby, Fitz. She doesn't understand all of this." Jemma whispered close to him.

"She may be the only chance we have." Fitz whispered back turning to see her shaking her head in disagreement.

"I want to help." Skye spoke softly from her secure place on her daddy's shoulder. She pulled away and looked into his eyes. "I need to help Daisy."

May pursed her lips and shook her head. She smoothed Skye's hair away from her face. "No, baobei, it's to much for you."

Skye took a shaky breath and smiled at the pet-name her mom called her all the time. "My mommy…" she paused and looked into May's eyes. Behind all that scary lady stuff was her mother, soft and always loving. "You…you always told me that I could only get strong if I learned to help myself. You never let me give up." She tried to sound brave through her sniffles. She let herself slip from Coulson's arms and stood before her 'older' parents. Looking up at May, who would take the most convincing, Skye swallowed hard. "If I help Daisy, I really help myself. You hafta let me."

May was already shaking her head. She had no intention of putting her child in danger, not both, not either, not one.

She drew a breath and wiped away his tears with her sleeves. "Please mommy, I can do this." She wrapped her small hand around May's and turned to take Coulson's.

May looked into the determined eyes of her mini-Daisy. If the situation were not so dire she would beam with pride. She looked to Phil who gave his silent agreement then nodded to Skye and squeezed her hand with both of hers. A beat later she looked to Fitz.

"Tell me what we need to do."

xx

Phil stopped Melinda before she pushed open the door to the med lab. He wrapped his hand around hers knowing the cold claws of fear had gripped her just as tightly as they had wrenched the breath from him. The lab had found something. They were agents. They knew the lingo. They knew when to expect the worst.

They pushed the door together and walked across the room to the office. The techs either busied themselves with close work, pretending not to notice them or stood and stared their sympathies silently. Neither could hear the discussion behind the glass doors of the inner lab, but both could see it was not encouraging. That feeling escalated when the room fell silent as they entered.

Melinda pulled her stoic mask into place, closing off all emotion. Phil did what he could to keep the tremor from his voice.

"Please sit," the senior Doctor smiled.

Neither moved.

The doctor smiled again and nodded to the tech he had been arguing with signaling him to leave the room. "We've found something." The man said calmly.

Melinda looked away, breathing herself into the same calm. Phil's breathing became rapid, his heart pounding inside his ears.

The doctor paused then held up a hand. "There's no need to panic," he looked from one to the other, "neither of you." He stepped around the desk and held a hand out to the chairs in front of it. "Please, please sit."

Again neither moved.

The doctor waited a beat then reached for the file on his desk. "What we've found is peculiar if nothing else." He held out the file and waited for one of them to take it.

Phil pulled it from the man's hand and flipped it open. He glanced at the charts and scribbles inside then shook his head. "I'm sorry but this means nothing to me."

"Techs found a few specs of blood on, of all things, a Lego." He held up a bio-specimen bag that contained one four-bud square pink plastic snap block. "Just enough for a few tests, strange thing about it is the blood on the toy is not your child's. It's a perfect match for the suspect's blood. We ran a few scans through our database, just in case this Johnson has a record or isn't who she says."

Melinda sucked in her lip and relaxed her stance. More nonsense, she thought. Phil shook his head.

"Is this going somewhere, Jack, because we really don't have the time or the patience for this."

The doctor continued as if he had not heard. "We actually did come with a match and it has us thoroughly perplexed…and wondering just what you two are trying to hide."

Melinda drew a quick breath as her body tensed.

"I beg your pardon," Phil cocked his head. "Are you trying to say we had something to do with Skye's disappearance?" Phil's voice grew an edge that matched Melinda's tension.

Holding up a hand, the doctor shook his head. "No, no absolutely not…it seems this Johnson's blood is an almost perfect match for your daughter and _that_ demands an explanation."

xx

"I can't just make it happen," Skye sighed as she explained to Fitz for the third time. "It just does it by itself."

"Does it help to concentrate or have complete silence?" The young man asked, searching for a way to kick start the process.

Skye shook her head. "No," she almost whined. "I just know when it does. Like I knew when she got beat up." The little girl's eyes shot open as she slapped both hands over her mouth.

"What? When?" May stepped between the two, taking Skye by the shoulders. "Why didn't you say something before?"

"Because it…" Skye looked up at May, then down to the floor. "My mommy is probably just scared…she didn't mean to hurt her…" her voice wound down to little more than a mumble.

May looked at Phil and felt the pang of guilt. She knew what she would do if she felt her child was in danger. She knew what she had done and she knew that Melinda was her as much as Skye was Daisy. Nothing would have stopped her from pummeling the young agent…but Daisy should have fought back. Why wouldn't she defend herself?

May pulled the little girl closer, speaking softly into the little girl's hair. "Is she okay, Skye? Is she hurt?"

Skye shook her head. "She's better now but she's alone in a room like this one. It's black, not white and she doesn't know how to get the laptop. She wants to go home."

Phil knelt next to the child and rubbed her arm gently. "Can Daisy hear…" he shook his head slightly. "Can she feel you the way you feel her?"

Skye shrugged her shoulders.

"Daisy's vitals are still displaying on the monitors. Perhaps if we connect Skye to…" Fitz began.

"No!" May barked. "Absolutely not, that's where I draw the line Fitz. You are not putting her through that. You aren't even sure it will work." She stood and pushed the little girl behind her.

"It's worth a try May." He reasoned. "There's no danger. The program is not working and we'll all be right here."

"I said no." May repeated through her teeth. "You've risked my child's life enough."

"She wants to tell them the truth but she doesn't think they'll believe her." Skye whispered to Coulson who still knelt at her side. "My mommy thinks she's my imagination she won't believe she's from the future." She shook her head and bit her bottom lip. "I'm not scared of the machine," she mumbled then looked up at him, "not really scared."

Coulson pulled her closer. "No, Skye we aren't doing that. We'll find another way." He kissed the top of her head and stood, joining May.

"I think we all need a break…some time to think about our options and alternatives." Coulson announced. "Fitz, you need to sleep. That's an order and Simmons you make sure he does even if it involves one of those butt jabbing cocktails you've used on the rest of us." He felt more than heard Skye's giggle behind him. "Now, agents," Coulson actually barked, spurring the young doctors to move slowly toward the exit. Fitz turned at the door. "Go Agent Fitz, we'll make sure the room is secure." He stood and watched until they were alone then let out a long frustrated breath and blew it out through puffed cheeks.

Skye squirmed between her parents and looked up at both.

May stared at the door. "Now what?"

Coulson reached down and took Skye's hand in his own. He smiled broadly. "Now," he patted the little hand he held. "I think I am in the mood for a double dip chocolate peanut butter ice cream in a pretzel cone that you can only get at that little place down the street." He wriggled his eyebrows at the little girl who nodded her quick agreement and looked to May for approval.

She remained stern, glaring at Coulson, refusing to look at the little girl next to her until that little hand slipped into hers. "I prefer strawberry." She sneered before breaking into the smile Skye recognized immediately.

xx

Daisy jumped as the door opened and Melinda stormed into the room. She quickly jumped to her feet ready to defend herself again. Phil was a few steps behind and wore the same look of surprise…anger…something that was not good as she did. She hadn't seen them in such a united front in years. Daisy backed to the wall and held up both hands in defense.

"Something's changed, huh?" She smiled.

Phil tossed the file across the floor. It landed at Daisy's feet. She looked at it and then back at him. He motioned for her to pick it up. Daisy bent at the knee to retrieve the file, never losing contact with the very angry agents. She flipped it open and glanced at the familiar readouts from sample matching. It looked eerily similar to the forms Coulson had showed her the day all this insanity began. Her eyes followed the lines of exact matches before she looked to the top and noticed the names printed across each. Daisy Johnson…well, that made sense and Skye Coulson…exact match.

She snapped the file closed and stared at them.

"Just who are you, Agent Johnson?" Phil growled as he pulled the file from her hands.

"I've been a lot of people." Daisy sighed but it wasn't lie. She'd had a lot of identities in her short lifetime, although she kinda liked the one she had now, well maybe not necessarily _right_ now, but in _reality_ , yeah, she kinda like being Daisy Johnson.

"And that means, what?" May shot back.

Daisy took a deep breath and looked from one computer generated parent to the other. This was it. This was the moment. She had to choose…make up some cock and bull story and hope they bought it or hell, just tell them the truth and hope for the best. If Fitz had programmed her cyber-parents with the same radar as her real-for-only-the-last-few-weeks-but-always-treated-like-parents-anyway…well, they'd see right through her prevarication. And yet the truth was so unbelievable they'd probably lock her up _after_ they beat the living crap out of her. Yeah, from the look on his face she was pretty sure this Phil would help his wife do some real damage. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place. She almost laughed at the fact she was damned if she did and damned if she didn't.

"No smart ass comebacks?" Melinda snarled with the most sinister smile Daisy had seen to date.

Daisy shook her head and let out a defeated sigh. "I don't…"

"Don't give me that classified crap again, agent." Phil barked. "Unless you're Level Seven there's nothing you know that we aren't cleared to hear."

Daisy sniggered then quickly pulled a straight face at Melinda's quick breath through her teeth, always a sure sign she was about to blow. "That wasn't what I was going to say but I'm pretty sure neither of you are Level Seven and won't be for about," she took a few seconds to do the math. "Well, for about oh a decade or so, but that's beside the point." She watched them exchange glances and smiled. It was a guess but given Skye's age she was pretty sure neither of her parents had not yet reached that point in the SHIELD hierarchy.

"And you expect us to believe you are?" Phil smiled as he leaned back against the table.

"Actually we haven't used that system for about a year or so. Last thing I remember I was Level Blue but no one really knew what the hell that meant so…" She merely shrugged her shoulders more at the absurdity of the whole Mace rainbow administration that the insanity of the present situation.

Melinda shook her head. "I told you she wasn't SHIELD, just leave me alone with her for few minutes…"

Phil held up a hand, silencing her. Daisy smiled. Poppa still had more authority here at the office. "You've been lying to us since you showed up here." He stated with more authority than Daisy could remember. "You have this one chance to come clean or I might just rethink my last decision."

Daisy smiled and let out a silent laugh. She looked at Melinda. "I'm not afraid of you," she grinned, then added under her breath, "…anymore." She was pretty sure the woman heard it, after all she had the hearing of a bat or a moth or whatever the hell could hear better than anything else.

"Enough!" Phil barked before Melinda could respond. "I want an honest answer Johnson, are you SHIELD and who, in their right mind ever handed you a badge."

Daisy let out a breath and looked at her feet for a second before looking him in the eye. " _You_ did or at you _will_ but I won't get to keep it very long before…" She sighed inwardly at the look he returned then faced Melinda. "And you…you were my S.O., taught me everything I know about everything. I…"

"Don't!" Melinda spat, pointing a finger in Daisy's face. "Don't you dare…"

"I could tell you a lot about _you_ , but you'd say I just read it in your files so I don't know how to prove anything I say." Daisy took another deep breath. "I would never hurt Skye, I couldn't and…" Daisy stopped regretting she had backed herself into this corner but now there was no way out. Both Phil and Melinda were waiting…waiting for her to provide some kind of explanation…to say something that would convince them she was not lying or some kind of kid snatching lunatic.

"And?" Phil narrowed his brows.

Daisy shook her head. "You won't believe it." She let out a long breath and turned away from them. "Hell, _I_ don't believe it."

Melinda let out a frustrated breath of her own. She clenched and unclenched her fists and shifted slightly from her stance. Daisy knew the signs. The woman was losing what little patience she had. The stress was overwhelming both of them.

"Skye broke her arm when she was seven, fell out of that big tree in your back yard after you both told her not to go so high." Daisy spoke softly. "She was almost hit by a car that same year when she rode her bike down the driveway into the road. First time you roasted her backside," she turned up one side of her mouth looking at Melinda who now stood almost in awe. She's been a real sarcastic little snark since Christmas and you've had more than enough." She looked from one parent to the other and waited while they then looked at each other in disbelief. "Couple days ago she went temporarily insane and defied you to your face," she spoke directly to Melinda. "Told you what she wanted, nope demanded you give her back that damn laptop…pushed you to the breaking point and well…she's not going to forget that paddling for a very long time."

"Skye _told_ you all this?" Phil asked, suddenly believing his wife's suspicion that this girl had somehow been communicating with their daughter.

Daisy shook her head. This was so hard and they were not going to believe her…not without a little embellishment…spy type embellishment. "She didn't have to tell me…I just knew." She shrugged.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Melinda growled. She'd had enough double talk. She wanted answers.

"I mean I know all about Skye and I do know where she is because…" Phil and Melinda were ready to pounce. "I know because I _am_ Skye…not the one you know but I am your daughter."

Melinda had her by the collar before she could throw up an arm. "Do you think we're some kind of morons?" She shook Daisy hard, reawakening the ache in her head. "Everything you said...you've been talking to Skye on that damn computer, got her to trust you and now…"

"No," Daisy coughed, wrapping her hands around Melinda's wrists. "I never…"

"You _paddled_ her, Mel… _paddled_ her?" What Daisy had said sunk in and he barely believed it.

Melinda glared at Daisy as if she had ratted her out… She yanked her arms from Daisy's grip and turned to her husband. How would this girl know what happened that night? She'd taken the laptop then and Skye had no access to it since. Was she meeting this lunatic behind their backs? But when? How? Skye hadn't left the house without one of them or her grandfather. She hadn't even returned to school yet, not since that virus.

"Mel, how could…" Phil spoke softly.

"I was…it…" Melinda looked at her hands and tried to push away the memory.

"It wasn't that bad." Daisy spoke quietly from behind them. She let out a small snort. "I think you were both pretty upset and it just boiled over. She understood. She doesn't blame you."

Phil looked over Melinda's shoulder at the girl. " _She_ doesn't? You just said you were Skye but you refer to her as she…as if she is separate. Which one is it, Johnson?"

Daisy cringed at the sting of him calling her Johnson. He'd never, ever referred to her that way and somehow it opened a chasm between them. Daisy stood on the edge. "It's complicated. We're the same but different…joined but separate." She shook her head at how stupid that sounded. "Damn, I wish Fitz was here." She mumbled to herself.

"This is pointless," Melinda scowled. "Tell me where Skye is, before…" She stepped toward Daisy again.

"I'm right here." Daisy patted her hand on her chest. "I'm who Skye will be. She's who I…who I wa…was." Okay, that was a lie, but Daisy wanted it to be true. She hadn't really thought about before, but yeah, she wished she had been Skye with the blue and white bedroom and red bicycle and grandfather that spoke to her in Chinese and a mom that loved her to the moon and back but still swatted her backside when she needed it and a dad she adored, a dad that put her on a pedestal and intended to keep her there.

Phil let out a soft snort. "Do you really think we're going to believe you're some kind of time traveler?" He almost laughed out loud.

Daisy opened her mouth to disagree then thought for a second…time travel? Yeah, she could roll with that. Hell, it might be better than telling them they weren't real and that their very existence was at the whim of a computer program. Oh, yeah, that would probably get her locked in here until they could get their hands on some kind of SHIELD patented straight-jacket.

"I told you it was classified." She told him instead.

"Classified," he repeated.

Daisy nodded. "It has to be. I mean you have heard of the Grandfather Paradox, right?"

Melinda narrowed her eyes. This was nonsense…impossible…

"Changing events in the past can cause serious inconsistencies in the future." Phil stated, clearly thinking through the situation.

"Mostly, I'm just observing. It's an experiment of sorts, a prototype we're working on in my re…time." Daisy elaborated.

"And SHIELD sanctioned this _experiment_?" Phil pressed.

"The SHIELD I know." Daisy nodded. Okay, that wasn't a lie. May and Coulson were the agency in her reality…and a handful of agents left after the last disaster. "Things are different in my time."

Melinda let out a long breath through her nose. She couldn't believe Phil was falling for this nonsense. "None of that proves anything."

"Are you the only one?" Phil asked, ignoring Melinda's comment. "The only one that travels?"

Daisy stared at Melinda. She wasn't interested in this conversation. All she wanted was her child, her little child. Daisy ached for her. "A few weeks ago, Skye was pretty sick with some weird virus. Some how I had the same thing. Dr. Simmons took care of both of us. You never met her before that day and haven't seen her since because she came here to save us, the little me and this me."

Melinda shook her head. She couldn't let herself believe this. She had to find Skye and all of this was wasting time. "If you've been here…with Skye…how is it we haven't seen you?"

Daisy let out a fluttery breath and dropped into one of the chairs at the table. "Well, things changed a little while ago and I'm physically here. Before…" She drew a breath and looked at the ceiling. They were never going to believe this. "Only Skye knew I was here, only she could see me or talk to me."

"You were invisible." Melinda rolled her eyes. Phil shook his head.

"No, not invisible more like just part of Skye, like a thought or a memory…" Daisy searched for the right word.

"Or an imaginary playmate…" Melinda mumbled.

"Yeah," Daisy smiled, "like that…kinda." It didn't really explain their relationship but it was the closest thing to it.

"Give me your hand," Melinda ordered, holding out her own hand to the girl, "left hand."

Daisy looked at her hand for a second before Melinda snatched it, pulling the girl to her feet. She prepared to defend herself then watched as Melinda gently turned over that hand in her own and gently rubbed her thumb over the area just below Daisy's thumb. She smiled then looked away. Daisy saw the lone tear that trickled from the outer corner of Melinda's eye. She brushed it away quickly then held Daisy's hand between her own.

"Skye sucked her thumb as a toddler…not all the time, but when she was tired or scared or things just got to be too much for her little psyche." Melinda spoke to the wall behind Skye as Phil moved closer. "I tried everything to break the habit, but nothing worked. I used to try holding her hand and just massaging it until she relaxed." She laughed softly and squeezed Daisy's hand gently. "That's how I found it." She looked at the hand again and once more rubbed the base of the girl's thumb. "It was just a little bump, the size of a pea but it terrified me." She looked directly into Daisy's eyes. "They removed it. It was benign but I cried for hours. You couldn't suck your thumb with the bandage and you didn't sleep for three nights."

Daisy crinkled her face and looked at her own hand. What was she not seeing?

Melinda ran her thumb along a white line that followed what fortune tellers called the life line under Daisy's thumb. Daisy watched. She'd had that white streak on her hand all her life. The nuns told her it was a birthmark. She never really thought much about it.

"When the bandages came off, I rubbed it with cocoa butter every night, massaged it and made sure you used it just like the doctor said. I know this scar, Skye. It reminds me of the terror we lived through, of thinking we might lose you to some horrid disease." She blinked away another tear and reached to push a stray hair behind Daisy's ear. Rubbing her thumb over the large bruise on Daisy's face she smiled a sad grin. "I am so sorry, baobei."

Phil stepped into the semi embrace and pulled his grown daughter into a hug, wrapping Melinda into it as well. They stayed that way for a moment before stepping back. Daisy smiled an embarrassed smiled at her cyber parents.

"We have a lot to talk about." Phil nodded toward her.


	45. Chapter 45-You Don't Have to Tell Me

**Chapter 45**

 **You Don't Have to Tell Me**

Skye looked down at the haphazard outfit she now wore. At ten she was hardly the size of anyone in the base, not that there was much of anything left anyway. Even petite Jemma was quite bigger than the little girl. A pair of shorts hiked as high as possible and a t-shirt cut and tied to resemble some weird version of a shirt that _wanted_ to be a dress was the best anyone could do.

"Think of it as setting a trend," May suggested weakly as she stepped back to view the little girl. She had to admit, if only to herself, that it was pretty shabby.

Skye frowned. "I don't think my mom would let me out of the house like this unless it was Halloween."

May raised an eyebrow. The kid was probably right, even the homeless had better fashion sense. She let out a sigh. "Sorry, kid, it's either this or you make the scene in your birthday suit."

Skye's eyes widened as she shook her head and giggled. "Nope, this is fine. I kinda like it." It was hard to tell if May was teasing, but she hoped she was.

"Okay, ladies," Coulson stepped through the door and clapped his hands. "Ready to roll," he smiled.

Skye failed to hold the laugh that escaped her even though she had slapped both hands over her mouth. May bit her lip and shook her head.

"What?" He asked, innocently.

"Where did you find this?" May pulled the baseball cap, complete with false ponytail hanging from the hole in the back from his head. The jacket he wore made him look thirty pounds heavier and at least twenty years older.

"Found it downstairs," he almost pouted as he pulled it back on his head. "Not much to work with around here and we…"

"Are not going anywhere with you looking like that." May raised an eyebrow, stepped back and pointed at him before letting out a laugh of her own.

He took off the cap and stared at it for a moment, shrugged his shoulders and tossed it on the sofa in the com room, the jacket followed.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea," Skye sighed. "I don't even have any shoes and these flip-flops are really big and they kinda hurt." She paused for a moment and stared at her feet then pulled them out of the oversized beach shoes. "I'm not really hungry for ice cream anyway." The little girl let out a soft breath and stared at her wriggling toes.

Coulson and May exchanged glances and moved to comfort the little girl. "I know it's hard, but we'll get you back to your folks." Coulson smiled as he wrapped an arm around the child's shoulders pulling her into a half hug.

She looked up at him, then May and then back. "But _you're_ my parents…aren't you?"

Again the agents traded a quick look.

"Or you're gonna be, when I grow up." She mumbled. She rubbed her left hand staring at the long white line that ran along the wrinkle under her thumb. A smile spread across the little girl's face and spoke quietly, almost to herself. "She's okay now. She knows they love her."

"Did something happen, Skye? Is Daisy okay?" Coulson was concerned.

The little girl smiled up at him. "They must believe her because she feels better. She knows now." Again Skye rubbed a finger along the scar in her palm.

May held out a hand to the little girl. "Come here, Skye." She coaxed gently.

Skye looked at the hand for a few seconds before putting her own into it and allowing May to lead her to the couch. The woman sat and tugged the little girl to sit next to her. Coulson sat on the opposite side.

"We know there is so much you don't understand," May began, looking from the child to Coulson and back. "And there is so much we just can't tell you." She smiled and pushed a hair behind the little girl's ear. Skye chewed her lip and nodded her understanding.

"You tell me that a lot," the little girl snorted. "That I'll understand when I'm older but I _do_ understand some things." She looked a May and then at Coulson. "I know I love my par… _you_ while I'm little and I know I'll love you when I grow up. But then I know Daisy's afraid to love you but I don't know why. I mean if I love you now." She paused, took a breath and scrunched up her face. "Was I bad? Did I have bad friends or use drugs or get in big trouble? I'm sorry if I did. I'm sorry I made you angry or sad about me."

May took the little girl's hands in hers and patted them gently. "No, no Skye, Coul…your dad and I always loved you, no matter what." She realized, in that moment, she was speaking the truth. Yes, she had always loved Daisy, always considered her family. Even when she was nothing more than a street wise smart ass looking for someplace to fit in, May couldn't help the feeling that the kid needed protection…a home…someone to care about her.

Skye shook her head. "Daisy doesn't know that…not really, she's just afraid about it." She stopped and lowered her gaze to the floor, almost mumbling, "but doesn't want you to know." Peeking up at May with one side of her face she waited for either adult to speak. When they did not she took a deep breath and looked ahead, not really focusing on anything and giving the appearance of someone deep in thought.

A smile spread across the little girl's face as she spoke, again to no one in particular. "She's not afraid now though. Mommy's probably hugging her and Daddy too." She looked up at May. "Maybe everything _will_ be okay."

Coulson, once again, pulled the little girl into a haphazard hug.

xx

"Time travel," Phil smiled and shook his head. "I knew they were working on something down there in research." He let out a low whistle and shook his head again. "I just never imagined it could be something so….so…."

"Insane?" Melinda finished for him.

"I was thinking more like impossible or fantastic. Mel, do you know what this could mean?" His smile was enormous and Daisy almost felt guilty for the flat out lie she was letting them believe.

"A ride through hell," Melinda huffed.

Daisy blew out a slow breath. "Really? Am I that bad?" She heard the sarcasm in her own voice before she could stop it. The look on Melinda's face told her she hadn't missed it either. Daisy shrugged her shoulders and stuffed her hands into her pockets.

"No, you're not," Melinda snarled. "Well, most of the time you're not, but I'd really like to know how you got to be such a smart ass. I am certain I would never stand for it." She folded her arms over her chest and waited for an answer.

"Kids go through that stuff, Mel. Now you know, so you'll be more vigilant." Phil's excitement was showing as he spoke to his wife but faced the young girl. "I've heard they're trying to resurrect some of Stark's work and that playboy son of his is about to inherit the whole shebang. How's that turn out?" He looked at her like a kid waiting to open his gifts on Christmas morning.

Daisy narrowed her brow and stared for a moment before shaking her head. "Um, ah…n-no…" she shook her head again. "I mean I don't know and I've…I've already told you more than I should. I told you this whole thing is classified."

"Right," Phil snapped his fingers. "The less we know the safer everything remains. But…"

"I don't suppose sharing the name change business would be risking too much." Melinda grumbled. "Johnson, I take it you've married."

"Married!" Phil grabbed the girl by the shoulders and gave her a soft shake.

Daisy pulled back and looked at him as if he'd lost it.

"Grandchildren! Are we grandparents?" He turned to Melinda and laughed. "Mel, we're grandparents." Then back to Daisy. "How many? Two…three?"

Daisy shook her head and grimaced as she backed away from him. "No, none…I mean, no I'm not married…I…"

Phil let out a disappointed sigh. Melinda rolled her eyes.

"I…" _'Damn!'_ Daisy thought to herself. _'How the hell do I explain this?'_

Since this whole thing began she'd thought about her name more than once, lying in bed at night, staring at the ceiling and wondering just who the hell she was. Cal gave her this name. That crazy, sad man that stole a baby to pacify his even crazier wife then went even loonier because he lost said baby. From what she understood, the Sisters of St. Agnes found her when she was less than five months old so crazy Cal and jaded Jiaying never had the chance to raise her. She didn't even want to think about what went on in those few months, but the nuns said she was healthy so someone made sure she was fed and cared for properly. She became Mary Sue Poots, lovely name or curse as the case may be, and spent the next sixteen years bouncing around the system, courtesy of SHIELD in order to protect her, until she ran and never looked back. She chose the name Skye just because it sounded free, kinda like all those hippie do your own thing people she read about in old newspapers, and it was a _hell_ of a lot cooler than what she'd been given. That's who Coulson pulled out of a van in some LA back ally and that's who drove May insane, befriended FitzSimmons and eventually hated Grant Ward.

Then she changed, became something more…something frightening and different and it forced her away from the people she loved. Cal finally had her, courtesy of Ward and the minions of Hydra and before Coulson could save her she was whisked off to Jiaying who, along with Cal, professed to be her parents, her _real_ parents…the people who brought her into the world.

That turned out to be one big fat lie.

She was so caught up in the realization of her life long dream that she forsook the people who had already become the very same. She left them, betrayed them, hurt them and could not forgive herself…even when they did. And now she was caught up in this crazy attempt to correct all of that, to get back the time that a desperate doctor and his deranged wife stole from the mother and father she loved from the start. So she stood here staring into the eyes of that mother, who wasn't really that mother and that father who wasn't but was.

Daisy put a hand to her head. Suddenly that bump was throbbing…probably overtaxed by the plethora of thoughts running rampant in her mind.

"Hey," Phil's soft voice was close. She felt him take her arm. "You don't look so good, kid. Maybe you should sit down. Geez, Mel, how hard did you hit her?" He scowled at his wife as he led Daisy to the bed and helped her to sit.

Melinda watched but offered no response. She waited until Daisy was seated and looked a little better.

The girl smiled at Phil. "I'm okay." She assured him.

"I suppose the name is classified." Melinda snarled.

"No," Daisy shook her head, immediately regretting it. "When I joined SHIELD, I…we thought it would be better for me not to be associated with you. Nepotism and all…accusations of special treatment," she raised her brows hoping the story wasn't too contrived. "I entered the Academy with that name…ah, created a whole history for myself." She looked from one parent to the other and waited for a reaction that did not come. "You, me and Fury are the only ones that know."

"And who created this identity?" Melinda wondered.

"I did." Daisy responded without hesitating, she was pretty good at lying. She'd had a lifetime of practice. "You gave me that laptop for Christmas and well…we found out I had a real talent for ha…" She stopped, looking into Melinda's still angry eyes. "Ha-having an interest in computers," she finished quickly.

"You found out about SHIELD?" Phil tilted his head and asked. He and Melinda had done everything they could to keep their espionage life from their child.

This time Daisy rolled her eyes. "Come on, you didn't think that corny insurance cover-up was going to work forever. I'm a smart kid."

"You told her." Melinda accused.

"No way," Daisy countered. "She's gonna figure that out on her own in about six or seven years." Daisy estimated the date of the Bahrain incident and hoped it never happened in this reality. She thought for a moment. "The secret computer room in the closet is a dead giveaway and no I didn't tell her about that either. It was me that broke in and found out where you were." Both parents glared at her.

"Hell, the kid was terrified. I was trying to help. And you were hurt, both of you." She pointed at them with both hands.

"Don't say 'hell'," both parents said in tandem while still glaring at the girl.

"All of this does not explain where Skye is," Melinda sneered.

Daisy scrunched up one side of her face and gave a slow nod. "I'm guessing that since I'm here…physically here," she pointed to the floor. "Then she must be there," she pointed forward and shrugged her shoulders.

"Where exactly is _'there'_?" Phil asked before Melinda could accuse.

"With _my_ you," Daisy smirked, then realized how stupid that sounded. "She's where I was, with Co…my dad and mom."

" _Your_ mom and dad?" Phil repeated, raising his brows. "Us? We're there…in the future?"

Daisy opened her mouth to answer but Melinda replied before she could.

"She can't be more than," she looked Daisy up and down, "what? Twenty-five? Six? This future is not all that far away." She shook her head.

Phil smiled. "Well, it's good to know we survive whatever comes along and make it that far."

Daisy looked away for a moment then offered a small smile. "Ah, yeah…yeah, you survive…we all do." She thought about what they'd been through in the past five years and what both May and Coulson survived and didn't survive as well. How the hell could she explain how they had both come back from the dead…figuratively and actually?

"Is she safe there?" Melinda asked softly, looking away from the girl who sat in front of her. Heartbreak was evident in her tone.

Daisy nodded. "She's with you." She smiled. "How could she _not_ be safe?"

Phil laid his hand on top of hers and squeezed gently. Melinda let out the tense breath she held and sat down next to Daisy, laying her hand on top of both of theirs. For a moment they sat, listening to the silence of the room, digesting all that had happened and letting the familiar feeling of family rest around them.

"So," Melinda broke the silence. "How do we get our girls back where they belong?"

xx

Skye sat on what might have been a table at one time and swung her feet while licking the drips of rainbow vanilla ice cream from the side of the cone she held. Maybe that Piper lady wasn't so grumpy. She'd shown up with cones for everyone right after lunch. She even made sure to get everyone's favorite, including a double dose of chocolate sprinkles on that rainbow vanilla. She smiled at Phil who was truly enjoying his chocolate peanut butter.

"Do you have to stay in here forever?" She asked around a slurp, quickly catching the dribble that ran over her chin with the palm of her hand. May shook her head and passed a few napkins to the girl.

Phil wiped the dribble from his own chin and thought for a moment. "We hope not." He looked around at his dilapidated base. Its condition was more than depressing. "This is temporary…just until we find a new base. Daisy's a big help with all the files she can get into for us."

"You mean jacking." Skye nodded with pseudo-authority as she perfected a three hundred sixty degree lick around her ice cream.

"Hacking," Melinda corrected, handing her another napkin and pointing to the drip running down the side of her hand. Skye smiled and licked it clean. Melinda blew a breath over her lip and shook her head. Some things never changed…or would never change.

Skye licked her lips and swallowed, "right, hacking." Suddenly the little girl sat bolt upright and smiled broadly. "Does that mean I get to learn hacking?" She made sure to use the right word.

Phil reached over and gently patted her knee. "Not for a couple more years, kiddo," he smiled.

Skye gave a pout, causing both parents to smile. She recovered quickly then licked her treat again. "Who's gonna teach me?" She spoke with a full mouth. May rolled her eyes.

"Don't look at me," Coulson laughed. "Not really into that kinda tech part of the field." He continued licking his cone.

Skye giggled before taking a few minutes to concentrate on preventing the now very drippy ice cream from completely dissolving the cone. She quickly slurped the ice cream from the side then off the tips of each finger before swiping them on her oversized t-shirt. "Does Fitz teach me?" She wondered.

Coulson looked at May who, at the moment, seemed a little more concerned with the child's lack of ice cream decorum. "You know, it's not good to tell you too much." He smiled at her frown. "Spoil all the surprises you're in for." He explained.

May swiped the cone from the little girl's hand. Skye's mouth dropped open as the woman dropped the cone into a bowl, stuck a spoon into it and handed it back. The little girl stared at it for a moment then frowned. "That's no fun…"

"Neither is cleaning a sticky mess," May frowned right back. "Use the spoon," she ordered.

Phil snickered under his breath a half second before May repeated the procedure and handed him a spoon.

"That goes double for you." She nodded toward a chocolate splotch in the center of the shirt.

"Still tastes the same," he snorted then clinked his bowl against Skye's and dug into the creamy chocolate soup in his bowl. He leaned over and whispered to the little girl. "I really like it when it gets like this."

Skye giggled as she nodded. It was good to know her daddy would stay the same, even when she became… She stirred the pink, blue and white ice cream in her dish, turning it a weird purple shade. "How come…" she popped a spoonful of the now purple concoction into her mouth. Coulson waited. The little girl swallowed hard. "How come…" she started again speaking slowly, then giggled at the look Coulson gave her.

"How come…" He started in a sing song voice, causing her to laugh harder. May shook her head at the tomfoolery.

"How come I'm not me when I grow up?" She finally finished then took another mouthful, crossed her feet at the ankle and swung them back and forth waiting for one of them to answer.

Coulson chuckled as he swallowed a spoon of his own lumpy concoction. "You're definitely you, Skye. You're always exactly who you're meant to be."

The little girl crinkled her forehead and looked at him as she tilted her head to the side. "How come you call me Daisy if I'm always Skye?"

Coulson looked to May and immediately adopted a more serious demeanor. She shook her head. There was no way they could shatter this little girl's memories, even if they were only computer generated. This Skye was safely placed in her mother's arms right inside the delivery room and taken home to a quaint, comfortable home in the suburbs. She grew up surrounded by the love of her parents and grandparents. She was safe and secure each and every day of her life. Someone tucked her in every night, kissed her cheeks and hummed her lullabies. She rode her bike and ate ice cream, skinned her knees and talked back, sniffled through discipline and snuggled into warm hugs. This Skye had everything her Daisy ever wanted and never experienced…and it broke her heart to even think that thought. She wished Fitz could take these fake memories and squeeze them into her daughter's head forcing out all of the nightmares she tried so hard to hide.

"I guess…" he glanced quickly at May, "well, I guess it's kind of a…well it's kind of a nickname," Coulson answered without missing a beat. He took a spoonful of his melted ice cream and pursed his lips as he swallowed. Skye sucked in her bottom lip and gave him a skeptic look.

"Really," he smiled. "It started with some crazy science fair thing." He looked to May. "I think that was the first time, wasn't it." She let out a breath, nodded and waited for him to spin this yarn.

"Oh you were so into showing your skills as a horticulturist, had me growing daisies all over the house for weeks. I started singing some silly song…" he hummed a slow tune then sang, "I'll give you a daisy a day, dear. I'll give you a daisy a day. I'll love you until the rivers run still and the four winds we know blow away.¹"

Skye smiled as she listened to her father's voice and the words of the song. She moved closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Do you still sing it to her? I mean…me?"

Phil smiled at the little girl. Yes, the answer was yes…but Daisy never heard him. He hummed the tune and ran the words through his head. His mother had loved that song. It was a one hit wonder of the early seventies and the only record she ever purchased for herself. She'd play it and sing along. It made him smile even though it was a sad song. He remembered the Mother's Day he saved up and bought her daisies. They were so many different colors and she loved them. He still had the blue and yellow one she pressed into her Bible. She would love Skye…Daisy, his daughter and he regretted the fact they never had the chance to meet. His mother was gone long before his child was born. When he searched for Daisy for all those months just a year ago, he'd sung it to himself thousands of times. He was pretty sure she'd laugh him off if he tried to sing it to her now.

"Naw," he smiled sadly, "Daisy's all grown up, she'd…" he started

Skye shook her head. "She'd like it. I do. She'd like it a lot." She stared at Coulson for a moment turning her head side to side then slipped off the table and set down her bowl. The little girl walked across the room and took May's hand in her own. She turned it over and put her own on May's palm then offered her a small smile.

"It's different here, isn't it?" She asked as she turned back to Coulson.

"Different?" He repeated.

Skye nodded. "It feels different. You're different, so is Daisy, not just cuz she's grown up. It just feels different. I don't think time makes things feel like this."

May squeezed the little hand that rested on her own. Skye was smart, just like Daisy. She was figuring things out for herself. She smiled at the little girl with ice cream on her face. "Well you are a long way from home, Skye. Let's get cleaned up and see if Fitz is feeling better."

"It's okay," Skye smiled back. "I'm not afraid anymore. Daisy's okay and so am I."

May narrowed her eyes and looked over the little girl's head to her partner as. He returned the look, each wondering exactly what the little girl meant by her statement.

What was different?

xx

"I'm not really sure how F…they'll fix this but I know it starts with that laptop you have in your office." Daisy explained.

"That damn laptop," Melinda spoke through her teeth. "I told you it was a bad idea." She snarled at Phil.

Daisy shook her head. "The laptop isn't the problem, but one of the programs is. I just need to restart it and…and…the techs back…back….back home," she settled on for lack of a better description, "will get things moving and hopefully reset time."

"It's that simple?" Phil was amazed.

Daisy's brows went up and then down, _if he only knew_. "It's a lot simpler than it sounds." She assured him. "You get it to me. I click a few keys and we all get what we want."

"And how did my child get _this_ particular laptop?" She glared at Phil but spoke to Daisy. "You said our techs went over that damn thing…you said it was safe."

"I…" Phil opened his mouth, but had no explanation.

"It's not his fault," Daisy naturally defended her father. "It kinda happened by accident. I mean nobody here did anything." She looked at her hands and searched for a way to explain. She began to stand, stopped and looked to Melinda for permission. The woman gave an indistinct nod.

Daisy stood and walked across the room then turned and almost smiled at the sight of the younger versions of May and Coulson sitting side by side on that little bed ready to hang on her every word. "You see, things got a little wanky a couple weeks ago…you might have noticed." She waited while the couple exchanged a confused glance then looked back to her. "Yeah, well…um…this isn't exactly the first time Skye and I have gotten…" she turned down both sides of her mouth. How the hell was she going to tell them this? She shrugged and decided to just dive in. "It's not the first time we've gotten kinda flipped flopped."

Phil's brows rose as Melinda's drew together. Apparently, that was not the way to do it.

"I mean, we've switched places before..." Daisy paused, hoping they got it this time.

Melinda let out a breath and shook her head. "I am damn, sure I would remember if my child was gone, even for a minute."

Daisy turned up one side of her mouth. "Well, we didn't exactly disappear, not that time…or the other."

"How many the hell times has this happened?" Phil stood up and approached the girl.

"Um, at last count…three," Daisy shrugged with a slight grimace.

Melinda shook her head again.

Daisy nodded. "The first time it was just Skye's consciousness. Somehow we got tangled up and she came back with me. It was only a couple hours and it was during the night." She realized, by their expressions, they did not believe a word. The girl let out a long breath. "Okay, short version, we've been able to think to each other for a while now and figured out how we could share, for a lack of a better term, a body. Skye called it being in charge. She kind of moves aside and lets me…well, lets me be her. We got stuck and well, it wasn't long and I got her back."

"And?" Melinda raised one brow.

Phil could not form a question, this was still unbelievable.

"You remember the day you caught Skye in your room…" she waited. Melinda pursed her lips and barely shook her head.

"She told you she broke into your computer room." Daisy turned to Phil. "Then she said she didn't, but really she did, well really she didn't because I did and you came in all ready to whack my ass and time ran out and I was in control and well, I got stuck in Skye's body and she got stuck in mine. So I was here and she was there except I was her so you only saw Skye and damn it was hard being a kid again." Daisy rambled on with the explanation as the two agents tried to keep up with her.

The couple exchanged a glance. The girl's explanation just made things more confusing. Even if she repeated it, slower, it would still make little sense.

Daisy let out a frustrated breath. "If you think it's hard to understand you should try having to explain it or better yet live with it. Just finding the right pronoun to use is mind numbing." She shook her head and shoved her hands into her pockets again.

"What you're saying is that you and Skye can switch places, is that correct?" Melinda narrowed her eyes at the girl.

Daisy nodded. "Yes and no…I mean we can, but we don't do it on purpose. Every time it's been an accident," she shook her head. "Then it takes a while to figure it out and well slamming us back together is what made both of us so damn sick, some kind of weird virus transferred to us both."

"And we're supposed to believe all this?" Phil now sounded a bit skeptical.

Daisy shrugged. "It's just about as crazy as this." She held her arms out at her sides, indicating the present situation.

Melinda shook her head again. "Skye could have told you about that incident."

Daisy shook her head as well. "I suppose, but I'm the one that got my ass blasted for being full of attitude at breakfast, especially after spilling that milk all over. I'm pretty sure Skye wouldn't have shared that. I mean who goes around boasting about a trip over momma's knee." She rubbed her backside for emphasis, then looked directly at Melinda. "You told me I wasn't really sorry, that I just said it because my butt was on fire."

"You were a real smart ass that morning, bao bao, you deserved that spanking." Melinda smirked.

"So you pointed out," Daisy mumbled. "But, getting back to the point, it was a real whacked out situation and it took a bit to fix it. I hacked my way around the protection programs you had on that laptop and got a message to my…base," she settled on that description. "They designed a program and I downloaded it. It's how we got back to our…ourselves." She finished, realizing how ridiculous the whole thing sounded.

Phil dropped back on to the mattress next to Melinda. He swiped a hand through his thinning hair. "I can't believe Fury gave this his okay. This is like something out of some wild Sci-Fi novel or movie of the week.

"Uh, yeah," Daisy snorted. And that wasn't even the worst of it. Somewhere there was an alien body unwillingly donating…donating _whatever_ to create a serum that would someday bring people back to life. The son of Howard Stark would become an iron force to reckon with and someone would find a World War Two hero frozen in the Arctic Ocean who somehow was not dead. They'd join with a god from another planet and a man that turned green with anger to save the world from another insane god and his monsters. Along with a Russian spy and a more than gifted archer they would become heroes and Phil Coulson would bring them together as a team. The same way he brought their team together… Yep, Phil was right, it was like some crazy sci-fi movie or something a comic book enthusiast would worship for decades.

"But this… _this_ fiasco is my fault." Daisy dropped her gaze to the floor.

Melinda waited a few seconds before quietly demanding she continue, "go on…"

"I just wanted to get May and Coulson, my May and Coulson, to admit…to realize…" she'd really backed herself into a corner, now. "I wanted them to remember how much they cared about each other." She practically mumbled.

Phil stood and took a deep breath. "Are you saying we," he looked into Melinda's eyes. "We separate in the future."

"No, no…hell, no," Daisy shook her head. "No way, you two are like this!" She crossed her fingers and held them up in front of her. "Nothing pulls you apart, not…nothing. You're connected, one in the same, peas in a pod, soul mates to the end and probably even longer."

Phil smiled and wrapped an arm around Melinda and kissed the side of her cheek. Daisy looked to the floor and shuffled her feet. It was odd seeing them show affection for each other although she and Jemma had spent many hours in each other's bunks imagining they were clandestine lovers. She almost blushed at some of the scenarios they'd giggled about.

"When they're here, they aren't so uptight about everything and Coulson had those paralyzing headaches and I thought it would help for him to just tell her how he felt…" Daisy attempted to explain again.

"Wait a minute," Phil held up a hand. "I thought you were the only one that jumped through time. Now, you're saying we," he pointed to himself then Melinda several times, "We've been time traveling as well?" His voice almost squeaked.

Daisy bit her lip. This wasn't going well and she was saying way too much. "We were," she drew out the words, stalling for the moment but she recognized the looks on her computer generated parent's faces. "We were all part of the same program…exploring our own past…memories." She fumbled.

Melinda sneered. "What exactly do we need to remember?"

"Nothing in particular…it was an investigation into how memories effect our decisions and actions." Daisy smiled at her quick thinking.

"And did we?" Phil asked, still pondering the girl's earlier statements. "Did we remember?"

"I'm not really sure, we got pulled out before," she stopped and stared at him for a moment. "You wouldn't tell me anyway, hell I was just a kid." She grimaced and let out a huff. "All I know is you," she nodded toward Melinda, "were pretty pissed at me for going in alone…again."

"Hmmm, still as stubborn as ever then," Melinda sighed.

"Yeah, well don't think you didn't take care of it…that doesn't change either, seems grandma planned for that." She sighed then smirked. "You weren't such an angel as a kid either, I understand."

Melinda raised a brow. Daisy returned a smile.

"May and Coulson went off to discuss things and well, I had to finish off that twenty-four hour sentence you passed on me. Yeah," she snarled at Melinda's smile, "my May remembered and banished me to my quarters. I snagged a laptop from the computer room and that's when I found out it was frozen. Couldn't do a thing. When I took it back to…the techs…well everything was frozen and they were…were, concerned it could effect what might happen in the future," she chose her words carefully. "We figured I was the only one who could go in and fix it quickly so…here I am." She shrugged her shoulders and swiped her hands down her sides. "Unfortunately it didn't go as planned cuz I certainly didn't expect to end up locked up."

"Your parents…we, in that time…don't know you're here." Melinda surmised, glaring at the girl.

Daisy shrugged. "By now, I'm sure they…you… Damn, these pronouns! Hell, you all know." She threw her hands in the air in frustration. "I'm sure May is warming up that damn Wakatta as we speak." Daisy shook her head and wondered how the hell she was going to explain this then smiled to herself. Fitz would have a lot of explaining to do as well. On the bright side, there was no way May or Coulson could come after her this time. She looked at Melinda who stood with her arms crossed over her chest, still glaring. Daisy swallowed any comment she might make, sure that this version of Melinda might be a bit more intense than her own. She'd been a mom a lot longer and had that look perfected…a look that left nothing to the imagination. It wasn't really a nonverbal threat. Nope, that was a definite promise that she was very close to stepping over that veritable line and she wasn't going to like what waited on the other side.

She offered Melinda a weak smile.

"I'm not really impressed with Skye's use of 'hell' and 'damn'. You've been influencing that." Her glare never lessened.

Daisy put both hands up in defense. "Oh, no…no, no, no. I've warned her plenty of times." She smiled for a fraction of a second and added. "I guess the kid just thinks it's cool."

"I don't." Melinda stated.

"Mel, she's not a kid." Phil reminded her.

Melinda shifted her glare to her husband then back to their grown daughter. "She's _my_ kid." She reminded him. "And her grown self needs to show a little discretion with her not so grown self."

Daisy gave a wink and a thumb's up.

Melinda let out a frustrated breath and shook her head at the girl's attitude. Apparently it hadn't improved through puberty and had grown immensely in young adulthood. The mother had every intension of bringing that to a screeching halt.

"Are you always this sarcastic?" She narrowed her eyes at the girl.

Daisy raised her brows and gave a quick shrug. "Not always, but it comes in handy when I need it."

"You don't need it." Melinda informed her.

Letting out a sideways click of her mouth, Daisy nodded once. Melinda rolled her eyes. Even in agreeing the girl couldn't resist that smart alec response.

Phil watched the exchange between the two women, seeing the stand off taking shape. Both of his girls were as stubborn as…well stubborn enough to stand face to face daring each other to make the first move longer than the North and South Going Zax². He smiled to himself, remembering reading that story to his little girl over and over as she tried to understand its philosophy.

He stared at the girl for a few moments then spoke to Melinda. "I think it's time we got to that laptop, Mel."

"If you just left well enough alone we could have avoided all of this." Daisy mumbled as they moved toward the door.

Melinda grinned and hesitated just enough for the girl to match her stride. She leaned close and whispered in Daisy's ear. "Lose the attitude, _Skye_ , or we can certainly spend the next few minutes making adjustments...privately."

Daisy stopped and looked at the woman in disbelief. That wasn't the threat of an incensed agent but one of a mother one snarky comment short of totally losing it.

Melinda turned up one side of her mouth in a half smile as she stepped aside allowing Daisy to exit the room.

 _¹A Daisy a Day, Jud Strunk, MGM Records,1973, watch?v=BB8G0SFmJ1g_

 _²The Zax, Dr. Seuss, 1953, Random House, New York, NY_


	46. 46 Too Many Things We've Been Fakin'

**Chapter 46**

 **There's Been Too Many Things We've Been Faking**

Chuck Salinger whistled as he strolled down the maze-like hallway of the Playground. He'd finished his battle with updating the computers in the med lab and felt a bit guilty for brushing off that crazy agent that dropped a laptop on his desk a few hours earlier. He'd heard through one of the other agents that she was that wild because of some kind of accident with her kid. Nobody was sure what kind of accident it was but they were positive it was pretty serious. Chuck shrugged. How could the woman even be here at the base if she was that concerned about her kid? And what did the laptop have to do with it?

In any case he planned to at least check out the laptop…and maybe find out what was going on at the same time. Nothing like a little office gossip to keep things spicy because as far as Chuck knew none of the agents on base had a child. In fact he was pretty sure that when an agent became a parent they were usually transferred to some boring office paper pushing assignment for the safety of the child as well as the parent. Hell, maybe nobody knew about this Maid or Main or whatever the hell her name was, having a child.

Chuck whistled a livelier tune and pepped his step as he turned down the hallway that led to her office. He approached the door cautiously, after all the woman was a little testy and she'd already bitten off his head. Suddenly, this didn't seem like such a great idea after all. He'd lifted his hand to knock and dropped it to his side. Yeah this was just stupid, he'd back away and visit the common area. It was almost break time anyway.

As the man turned to leave he noticed the office door was not quite closed. For as odd as that seemed he took it as an advantage and gently nudged it open a bit more, hoping no one was inside. Letting out a quick breath, Chuck slipped inside and spotting the rainbow maned unicorn sticker that adorned the laptop. He looked over his shoulder once, tucked the device under his arm and hurried back into the hall after leaving a quick note that he'd taken the laptop to have a little look-see. Chuck pulled the door closed and hurried down the hall toward the break room.

xx

Daisy matched the footsteps of Phil and Melinda who walked on either side of her as they made their way from the holding cell floor to the floor where they shared an office. Given the stupid outfit she was wearing they both thought it would make more sense if it appeared they were escorting her to an interrogation room. It made for a lot less questions or raised eyebrows. Escorting a prisoner, even one with a few bruises was just routine. They stopped at the large elevator door and waited for it to open.

No one spoke or even looked at the other. Daisy rocked back and forth on the floppy slip on sneakers she wore and pulled on the jumpsuit that was definitely make for someone at least three sizes larger than her.

"You don't suppose we could find me something a little less Orange is the New Black¹?" She asked the door rather than addressing either agent.

Melinda glanced sideways, taking in the girl with just her eyes. "Suits you," she sneered.

Daisy blew a breath over her bottom lip sending the light hairs on her forehead flipping upward. "Yeah, if I was off to do landscaping or dolopping in fingerpaint." She huffed as she shoved her hands into the deep pockets.

Phil put a hand on the girl's shoulder as the elevator door opened. "We'll see what we can do." He assured her.

Melinda rolled her eyes as she stepped into the car a breath behind them.

xx

Three floors above, the trio stepped out of the elevator and moved down the busy hallway. Passing agents moved to the opposite sides of the corridor as they progressed, almost as if royalty were passing. Daisy grinned with some sort of odd pride to think her _'parents'_ were treated with such respect…or was it their shared fear of Maylinda.

She side glanced quickly at the woman on her left. This version of Melinda or May or Mom or whoever the hell she was…all pronouns aside…was nothing like the mom-May that cared for Skye in that quaint home she shared with Phil and Yeye. She was way different than her own private personal May as well. Sure this was probably her Agent May persona, the one she used in the base where no one was supposed to know she had a kid that she hugged and kissed and snuggled and smiled with at the end of every day. Was Skye a secret? No, she couldn't be…not the way that Rattatouli drilled her in that interrogation room. Nope, that bitch certainly knew Melinda May was hurting and she was about to do anything to help find her child.

Daisy thought about it for a while. It never really occurred to her that any of the team had lives outside of what they did as agents. To Daisy that _was_ life. There was no home to go to or family waiting for her to come back, there was just the base and that was home. There was Coulson and May and Mack and Yoyo and Fitz-Simmons and they were family. Did they have somewhere else to go…to be when work was done? The thought almost made Daisy sob, it was so sad. She coughed to cover up the slip, when Melinda cast her a glare.

Mack had a brother and a family home. He probably thought about it and him. That's why he took Yoyo there. That's why he wanted her to meet Ruben. It brought people closer together when they got to know each other's family members.

Then there was Fitz, who had a mom somewhere in Scotland. She never really paid attention to where that was and couldn't even remember if he ever even mentioned it. There was photograph of a woman holding a curly haired toddler with laundry wafting in the background on the nightstand in the room he shared with Jemma. She'd seen it there many times, but never really asked just assumed it was Fitz. Although, she did wonder why he didn't have a photo taken after he was out of diapers.

Jemma had family too, a mom and a dad. Did she have brothers or sisters? Daisy didn't know. It certainly was possible but Jemma never mentioned them. Probably some SHIELD regulation, she told herself. The less you talk about family the less danger you put them in because of your work. It made sense, but Jemma did visit at least twice since they'd met albeit once was when they were working on finding that whacko Bizerker staff.

May had a mom and dad too, they were divorced and lived a continent away from each other, but she had both. Daisy smiled having met the grandparents she never knew she had while in the Fitzwork. She wondered if she'd ever meet them in reality. Of course the way things were now, she'd be lucky just to get out of that damn almost completely destroyed base just to get a breath of fresh air let alone go visiting.

Then there was Coulson. He had SHIELD. _That_ was his baby. She smiled at the fact. That was his home, where he hung his hat and kept his heart. And he had May, oh they tried to hide it but the team knew. They way they looked at each other and the subliminal things they said that had her and Simmons avoiding any and all eye contact as it would lead to uncontrollable giggling and impossible explaining.

Here it was different. Here Coulson, no Phil had Melinda and she had him and together they had Skye. They worked and did what needed to be done to keep the world safe and went home to their family almost every night.

 _'Nice set up, Fitz'_ Daisy thought to herself as the trio turned another corner and walked down what looked like a dead end corridor. Five hundred feet, she almost breathed a sigh of relief. Five hundred feet and she'd have that damn laptop. A few clicks, a restart and bam Fitz could reboot and get everyone back where they belonged.

"I said, you're awfully quiet," Melinda remarked as they neared the door to her and Phil's office.

Daisy shook off her rambling thoughts. "Huh, yeah, uh…just thinking," she mumbled.

"More classified nonsense," Melinda retorted. It wasn't a question. Apparently no version of this woman asked anything, just made statements that nine times out of ten were true.

"Hmph," Daisy shrugged, barely paying attention.

Melinda snagged the girl by the arm and pulled her to a stop. Phil stopped a few steps later and turned to see what had happened.

"If this is some kind of farce, I swear there won't be enough left of you…" Melinda shook the girl hard.

Daisy held up a hand as Phil rushed back to stop whatever was going on now. "You already recognized the scar…I…"

Melinda grabbed Daisy's hand and glared at her palm. "Anyone could have known about that. It's part of Skye's medical record. If you're as good as you say you are you could have gotten it from any computerized records.

Trying unsuccessfully to pull her hand free, Daisy shook her head. "Hell, I didn't even know about it myself until you said something." She pulled back quickly, rubbing her cheek where Melinda's hand landed unexpectedly.

"Hey!" was her only reaction.

Melinda raised a finger to the girl's nose. "I warned you."

Phil shook his head and stared at the floor to hide his soft chuckle. "Mel," he began.

"No! No, Phil," Melinda stopped him but continued looking Daisy in the eye. "There's no way to prove anything she told us and if she's the hacker she claims to be she could have found that information on her own. We give her that laptop and she can delete any information that might lead us to Skye."

Daisy's mouth dropped open into an unspoken 'what?!'

"Melinda, the things she told us about the computer room and the incident at breakfast aren't on anyone's data base. Come on, Mel, you can't be that paranoid." Phil spoke calmly as he moved closer and placed a hand on top of his wife's.

"When it comes to Skye…" the woman swallowed the crack in her voice and drew a quick breath. "When it comes to Skye I need to be absolutely certain." With that comment she flipped his hand from hers and yanked the girl a few feet down the hall and through a swinging door quickly kicking the lock that would jam it shut.

Melinda swung Daisy in a half circle letting her go to catch her balance on her own. The younger agent put out both arms and widened her stance to stay upright. "What the he….ck?" She demanded, remembering her digital mother's previous reaction to such an innocuous term. Hell, she could think of things MUCH worse.

"Lose the jumpsuit," Melinda commanded.

Daisy's eyes went wide as her mouth dropped open.

The older agent reached forward and yanked at the girl's drab brown outfit releasing at least four of the snaps that held it closed. Daisy quickly grabbed the cloth and pulled it back together. "Hey," she repeated. "That bitch Rattatini didn't issue under armor with this garb!" She pulled back and fumbled with refastening the snaps.

Melinda grabbed the girl by the shoulder and yanked harder, popping several more closures that Daisy struggled to hold together. "Drop it or I'll do it for you." She threatened.

Daisy felt her cheeks flush as a myriad of scenarios ripped across her mind, none very good and each a little worse than the one before. She pulled away from Melinda and stood her ground. "I'm not a kid, May. I'm sorry I slipped a couple no-no's back there, but there is no way in hell you're gonna paddle my bare ass in any reality!"

Melinda smirked as she stood back and folded her arms across her chest. She looked the girl up and down and was sure she saw her Skye buried in that defiance. She watched as Daisy drew deep breaths and let them out in short bursts, how she maintained eye contact waiting and watching for her mother's next move. The older agent let out a breath and shook her head. "For as tempting as that may be, I had something a little less dramatic in mind." She watched as the girl before her slowly let down her guard and waited for her to relax.

A light tap at the door interrupted before she could continue. Phil's voice came soft and quiet, close to the crack near the door handle. "Everything okay in there?"

"We're fine." Melinda barked before Daisy could respond. "Out in five."

She turned back to Daisy and relaxed her own stance without dropping her arms. "My Skye has a birthmark, a tiny birthmark…always hidden." She almost laughed then glared at the girl. "It better always be hidden."

"A star," Daisy breathed. "You told me you would always know me. You said it wouldn't matter what I called myself or how old I was. You said you felt my first breath. You were the first one to hold me. And the first one to notice that little star shaped birthmark on wǒ de dǐbù." She looked down to hide her blush. "You called it cute." She barely whispered.

Melinda nodded. She remembered the conversation. "You asked me if I would still love you if you changed and became someone else."

"I did." Daisy sighed morosely as she shucked the jump suit off her left shoulder and let the oversized garment drop as she turned her back to Melinda.

She felt May's hand on her back as she pulled the jump suit back into place and turn the girl to face her. Melinda pulled the garment closed and fastened the snaps then placed her hands on Daisy's cheeks.

"And I do, baobei." She smiled and kissed the girl's forehead. "This is all so insane, so out of this world, bao bao," she spoke in that same soft voice Skye was used to hearing. "I had to know for sure." She pulled the girl into a hug. "I will always love you my sweet girl and I am so glad you have grown into such a strong woman. I only wish I could have shared every moment of that with you."

Daisy couldn't help the tears that streamed down her cheeks. She understood this May's loss. She understood the pain of not being there to share all those little things…all those moments that make life…all those things Fitz was trying so hard to give her and she just kept screwing it up for herself and everyone else.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to this Melinda mom. "I'll fix it, I promise." Without thinking she wrapped her arms around May and hugged the way she knew Skye always embraced her mother. "I promise." She breathed again.

xx

Skye walked hand in hand with May as they made their way back to the computer room. Phil had gone ahead to be sure the young technician was there. The little girl tried hard not to feel afraid of the burnt out hallways and wondered about the strange memories she was having. Maybe they were just dreams she'd forgotten…nightmares really…nightmares she had thankfully forgotten but were reemerging due to the weird atmosphere of this even weirder place. She knew the whole world wasn't blown up because she'd been out there when she kinda borrowed Daisy's body a few weeks ago.

She saw the bodega across the street and the people going in an out. In the subway there were those awful men that wanted to capture her. Skye couldn't really understand why but she was sure they were afraid of her…or really of Daisy, but why. Why would anyone, especially all those guys with all those guns, be afraid of her…Daisy? A shudder went through her and May stopped, pulling her hand a little closer.

"What's wrong?" The woman asked, worry definitely etched across her face.

"Am I bad?" She looked up at May with questioning eyes.

"No, bao bao," May smiled as she brought the small hand to her lips and kissed it. "None of this is your fault and we are going to fix it."

Skye nodded once and took a step then stopped and turned back to May. "I mean is _Daisy_ bad? Did she…I do something awful?"

"Hey," May spoke softly as she squatted down to the girl's eye level. "I thought we covered all this. You did nothing wrong and grew up to be a wonderful young woman. Coulson…your dad and I are very proud of everything you've done."

The little girl chewed her lip for a moment and narrowed her brows. She really wanted to believe this version of her mommy but something didn't feel right and the more she was in this place the wronger it felt. She shook her head. "Why were those men afraid of her?" She exhaled quickly and looked into May's eyes waiting for an answer.

"What men, baobei?" She couldn't imagine what the little girl meant.

"The ones with all the guns in the subway," Skye explained as if she could not believe her mother didn't know. "They wanted to take me…" she shook her head. "No, Daisy, they wanted to take her. They said if she moved they would shoot. They didn't want to, but they were afraid of her. Were they afraid she'd hurt them?" Skye was almost in tears.

May was at a loss. She knew about the incident in the subway and how Mack and Elena had arrived in the nick of time, but no one had even considered offering Skye any kind of explanation and then she was gone. The little girl was gone back to her own reality and Daisy was here safe and sound. May hadn't even thought about it since it happened and just thought the little girl had forgotten as well. She tucked a stray hair behind Skye's ear and smiled.

Even if it were possible how could she explain this to a child?

Skye let out a soft breath. "You aren't going to tell me are you?" She dropped her gaze to the floor, mostly disappointed that the woman who was supposed to be her mom didn't trust her here.

May gave a weak smile as they started walking again. "It isn't that I don't want to tell you, Skye." May sighed. "It's just very confusing and you know what we said about not telling you too much and spoiling all the surprises."

"Even the bad ones?" She pleaded.

Melinda stopped and again squatted to her level. "Baobei, everyone has bad things happen to them but even bad things help you to become a whole person."

"I don't think I like bad surprises, mommy." Skye almost whimpered. "They're too scary."

May pulled the little girl into a hug and smoothed the back of her hair with one hand. "Oh, Wǒ kě'ài de bǎobèi nǚ'ér," she kissed the little girl's head and hugged her tighter, ignoring the tear that leaked from one eye. "I will always be right there for you no matter what."

Skye pushed back and looked into May's eyes. "Even the bad ones?"

"Especially the bad ones, baobei, especially the bad ones," the woman smiled a teary smile then stood and patted Skye's hand. "Let's go see what Fitz is up to, okay?"

Skye nodded as they continued on but watched her own bare feet walking through the sooty hallway rather than looking up at May. For a few feet they walked in silence until Skye stopped again. She stared down a very dark corridor and squeezed May's hand tightly. May looked in the same direction wondering what could have caught the girl's attention. No one had been down that hallway in almost a year. No one wanted to remember what happened there.

"She's gone forever, right?" The little girl whispered taking a step back and leaning against May. She looked up at her, terror in her eyes. "She can't come back?"

May looked down the hall again, squinting into the darkness and wondering just what Skye was seeing. "Who's gone, baobei?" She asked the little girl as she stepped between her and the hall, effectively blocking the child's view.

Skye peeked around May once then looked back up at her. "The robot lady," she barely whispered, "the one with the red eyes and sparking hands." The little girl shivered and took a second peek.

May took a breath. This could not be happening. How could Skye… She didn't let her self complete that thought. Placing her hands on Skye's shoulders she kept her voice calm and gentle.

"There's no one in that corridor, Skye. We don't use it anymore." She grinned slightly.

Skye looked up and blinked a few time before responding, "not anymore…she's gone now. She _was_ bad, very bad." She tried to inch around May and continued staring into the blackness. It brought back more of the nightmare memories.

May took the little girl's chin, forcing her to look only at her. "Skye there is no one there, no one. There is no bad lady or monsters down that hall." She took the little girl's hand and tugged her forward, away from the spot.

Skye went willingly, but took one last look over her shoulder. "Not anymore," she whispered to herself.

xx

"Don't be ridiculous, she can't remember things that haven't yet happened in her time." Fitz shook his head as May glared at him.

Skye had been whisked off by Jemma for a quick medical review; just to be sure things were as okay as they could be with a computer generated child. Weird thing was that internally as well as externally everything about Skye was right where it was supposed to be, so her remembering things that happened before she was even digitalize was not so surprising. Jemma was starting to think that absolutely nothing would ever surprise her again. In any case, she'd keep Skye busy while the others tried to solve this new bit of insanity.

"I'm telling you Fitz, she stopped at that corridor and almost described AIDA to a't'. She was as terrified as if she watching it take place. And where the hell would the kid get 'robot lady'?" She pursed her lips and waited for some kind of explanation.

"Maybe she overheard something in the com room?" Coulson volunteered. "Or maybe Daisy…"

"She hasn't been out of our sight, Phil and Daisy would never tell a kid, even a kid that was her…" May paused at the absurdity of her statement. "She would not put that thought in her kid self's head."

Phil threw up his hands. "Then the only explanation is she _is_ remembering. Just by being here she's remembering."

May shook her head. "She asked about the incident in the subway."

Phil raised his eyebrows, silently asking what she had answered.

"I told her it wasn't her fault." May almost shrugged her shoulders uncharacteristically.

"It will all be nothing more than a moot point once Daisy reboots that laptop. Then I can reverse all of this and put everything back in place." Fitz spoke to the couple behind him as he once again reviewed his data streams hoping to see some progress on the other side. He let out a frustrated breath when he did not. He spun around on his chair ran both hands through his short hair.

"We have to keep her isolated. That may help, but it could be just being here is what's causing her to assimilate Daisy's memories." The young man leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He stared at his palms for a moment before rubbing them together and standing. He walked across the room and stopped next to the gurney where he last saw his friend. "I don't really know how far those memories will go…or if…" He stopped and stared at the biometers that still kept track of Daisy's vitals.

"If?" Coulson asked as May stepped next to him.

Fitz continued to stare at the meters. "If those memories will wake up her powers," he almost mumbled.

"What?" May barked. "You said her powers couldn't manifest in a child." She tried not to sound as volatile as she felt.

Phil merely stared in disbelief.

"That was before…" Fitz hesitated.

"Before what?" The couple demanded together.

Fitz dropped his gaze to the gurney and tapped it with one finger before he turned to face them. Slowly he raised his eyes to meet theirs. He let out the breath he was holding through puffed cheeks. "Before Skye started to _become_ Daisy."

Coulson and May exchanged a glance before turning back to him for further explanation. They did not have to ask.

"The longer she's here the more…more human she becomes, the more _Daisy_ she becomes." He turned to his myriad of computer screens and keyboards. "I used everything I had to develop this program, to make it as real as possible for all of you."

"You didn't…" May huffed, closing her eyes and shaking her head.

"Fitz," Phil took a breath and blew it out slowly. "Please tell me you did not use any of AIDA's tinkering in your work."

"I filtered out everything that could go all evil and villainous." He defended his action. "There were holes in the Framework, glitches where reality poked through, things that made little sense or just couldn't be explained logically. I wanted this to be true for Daisy. I wanted her to have the life she deserved. I…no we…we all owed her that." Fitz drew a deep breath, squelching the tears in his eyes and the catch in his voice.

"Fitz," Phil spoke softly as he put a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I agree, she does deserve that but you know how this turned out the last time."

Fitz tapped a foot and rubbed his thumb into the palm of his opposite hand. "None of this should have happened." He said more to himself than the others.

"That's what they all say right before it all goes to hell." May growled. She huffed again as she paced to the door of the room and back then marched to Fitz and poked a finger into his shoulder. "You need to fix this and fix it fast."

The man bounced back with each poke but did not give in to the pain it brought. Before he could answer Skye rushed into the room with Jemma close behind.

"I'm sorry," the young doctor let out in a breath. "She just got away from me, said she needed to see you. I…I couldn't stop her." Jemma apologized as she tried to catch her breath.

"Mom," Skye breathed as she crashed into Melinda, throwing her arms around her middle and squeezing tightly. "You're okay, you're okay," the little girl sobbed.

"Of course I am," May cast a confused look before kissing the top of the little girl's head. "We told you we were just going to talk to Fitz. We're all fine."

"Promise me she can't come back," Skye sobbed into May's embrace. "Promise me he's gone too." She stared at Fitz, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Coulson looked from his little girl to Fitz and then back before he move to her side and knelt down to speak to her. He rubbed his hand on her back and she turned her head to face him. "Who's gone, sweet pickle, who? He spoke softly.

Skye dove into Coulson almost knocking him off balance. "The Doctor, daddy, the _Doctor_ , don't let him get me, please. He hurt me so bad, daddy. He hurt me."

Phil stood with the little girl wrapped tightly around him. He glared at Fitz for a beat then turned and walked from the room. May clenched her fists and sighed at her own guilt before following them.

xx

Daisy and Melinda stepped from the ladies room to a very confused Phil. Whatever brought them in there must have been solved because both looked a lot better than they had before. He simply shrugged it off. Stepping aside he allowed the women to proceed down the hall toward their destination.

May placed her palm on the pad outside the door. Daisy smiled as she did the math in her head. It had to be at least sixteen years back and SHIELD already had this much advanced tech or maybe Fitz just plugged it in as a bonus. 'Kudos to you, Fitz' she thought and reminded herself to tell him so when she got home…

Home, there was that word again, that place that doesn't really exist except in your head. It wasn't a building or four walls or even a giant flying secret spy Bus. Home was in your mind or mostly in your heart. She remembered reading a plaque that said 'home is the place where, when you go there, they have to let you in'. That never really made sense to her. She'd been in lots of 'homes' and after a while they just let her out. She was certain if she knocked on those doors they would not be so quick to let _her_ in.

Yet here she was more than eager to get to that damn burnt out place that was home. It was home because all the people she loved were there; probably doing everything they could to help her do just that. And if Skye was as there as she was here, then she needed to get her little self back home too.

She shook off the feeling as Phil pushed the door opened.

"It's on my desk, right he…" May stopped mid-sentence pointing at the spot where the two desks met, face to face.

Looking at the same spot Phil drew a quick breath. The laptop was definitely not there. He quickly scanned the office, but it was nowhere to be seen. "You were pretty upset, Mel. Maybe…" Phil offered. He snapped his mouth shut at her glare.

"I know exactly what I was doing and exactly where I put that damn blasted thing." She let out an aggravated breath.

"Maybe this'll help." Daisy offered as she pulled a yellow sticki-note from the opposite desk. "Who's Chuck?"

Melinda learned across both desks and yanked it from her hand. She glanced at it then crumbled the small paper in her own hand before throwing it across the room. "Damn, damn, damn him to hell." She propped both hands on her hips and turned away and then back.

Phil narrowed his eyes and picked up the small yellow wad. He uncrumbled it. 'Gonna take a look. Sorry, I didn't know. Chuck' He held it between two fingers and looked at Melinda then Daisy. "Who the hell is Chuck and how did he get in our office."

"Some moron tech nerd," Melinda growled, slamming her hands on the desk. "I took the laptop to him…" She let out a snarly breath. "I thought he could fix it…"

"You took it to tech?" Phil sounded incredulous.

"What else was I supposed to do?" She spat back. "It's not like you could do anything and I don't know a damn thing about computer blah-blah." She stepped closer to him. "Those jerks are supposed to know what they're doing. Hell, they put the damn thing together for you." Her voice rose as she continued her tirade.

"I didn't have them design it to do whatever the hell it did or is doing or can't do." Phil shot back.

"Well, that doesn't really much matter now does it?" Melinda roared.

Both seemed to have forgotten the girl who stood watching them as if it were some battlefield tennis match.

"They'll just take it apart and put it back the way it's supposed to be and then maybe, just maybe we can end this…" Phil paused and ran his hands through his hair. "Whatever the hell this is."

"Whoa," Daisy interrupted. "That is a very bad idea." She kept her voice even, definitely not wanting to fuel the fire. "Old Chuck reconfigures that thing and we're all…" She made a 'kaboom' face and wriggled her fingers outward and away.

"All of us?" Phil was perplexed.

"Not sure about you but me and Skye…" Daisy tried not to think about Jemma's last words to her before they entered the Framework to rescue the team. 'If you die in there…"

Those guys take that laptop apart and it all goes to hell. She was trapped here and would just evaporate with everyone else. If this place was anything like its predecessor, Skye would also perish.

"No," Melinda shook her head. "No, my child is not going to just blip out of existence because of some asinine computer program from a future she hasn't had the chance to experience." She drew a deep breath as Phil picked up his phone and tapped in the exchange for Technology. "And I won't lose the woman she's become either." She reached out a hand toward the young woman standing a few feet away.

Phil smiled at his wife squeezing his grown daughter's hand and placed the receiver back in its cradle. "Chuck's not there. They're pretty sure he's on a lunch break, suggested we check the com."

They were out the door before he finished the sentence.


	47. 47 Hold on Tight with All Your Might

**Chapter 47**

 **Hold on Tight with All Your Might**

Fitz stood staring at the door long after Coulson had carried a hysterical Skye from the room. He didn't realize how badly his hands were shaking until he felt Jemma take them in hers.

"You can't let yourself go there, Fitz. That wasn't you." She spoke quietly, gasping when he pulled away almost falling over the chair behind him.

The clearly shaken man grabbed the chair untangling his feet from the X-shaped wheel base rolling it to the side and then back in an odd mechanical dance. "Sh-she…it's not…no," he rubbed his hands along his temple and backed against the wall.

Jemma made a move to comfort him but he threw up a hand and held her off. The young woman put her hand to her mouth to cover the sob yet could not stop the tears streaming down her face. "Fitz," she breathed as she back away giving him the space he needed.

His eyes were fixed on the door but what he saw was much farther away. Daisy slumped on the floor in a stark grey room, bloodied and battered but still defiant, still uselessly trying to break through the heartless fortification that was The Doctor. He felt the starched collar around his neck, the perfect Windsor knotted tie and snug fitting vest. The Doctor, the Monster that outmatched Mengele and the rest of Hitler's minions, his thoughts crowded Fitz's mind pushing everything he thought he knew to the farthest corners of his psyche. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again, frantically wiping both on the cuffs of his two day old Oxford. He'd watched…just stood there and watched with no emotion while they beat her almost senseless, watched as they took her to the edge of her consciousness but refused to allow her that relief. He heard her bones crack and felt the empty smile tickle the corners of his mouth, a smile he could not allow his soldiers to see.

"You don't know me," he whispered, barely making a sound as his lips moved. "You don't know me," he repeated louder with more force as he dug his fingers into his short hair and pulled at the tight curls. "You don't know me," he screamed until his throat was raw, bending at the waist and clenching his fists in front of him.

Jemma sobbed deeper and turned away, unable to watch her soul mate tear himself in two. She tried in vain to pull her emotions into check, to turn back, to run and take him in her arms holding him until she or he or both of them pulled him back together. She rubbed the tears away and blinked her eyes back into focus, pulling in short breaths as she opened the black bag she kept in the room for emergencies.

Fitz shrunk to the floor on his haunches, his fists digging into his temples as he mumbled incoherently to himself and bounced on the balls of his feet. Jemma approached slowly, silently stopping if he made any move to stand or sit or throw himself completely to the floor. "I'm so sorry," she breathed in a whispered sob as she jabbed the hypodermic she held into his shoulder and pressed the plunger.

He jumped for a moment as if stung casting her a look of ultimate betrayal. He opened his mouth but before he could speak the strong sedative took effect and he slipped to one side catching himself with a palm planted on the floor as his backside hit the same.

Jemma was behind him, supporting him, caressing him and kissing him over and over as she cried uncontrollable tears. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed as she kissed his cheek, his head, the hand she held in her own. "I'm sorry." The distraught woman pulled the man she loved into her lap as she sat holding his limp body.

xx

Coulson carried Skye to the room he and May had been sharing for the last week and attempted to lay her on the bed but the little girl refused to release her grip. She was clearly terrified.

Skye pawed at her cheeks rubbing off the blood she imagined there. "Why did he hurt me? I thought he was my friend. I thought we…" She finished in words garbled between sobs as she pushed her face into Coulson's neck.

The man looked at May as he shushed the child pacing back and forth along the bed. She wrestled with the need to take her little girl into her arms and assure her there was no monster, no one would get her and the fact that in truth she was one of the monsters. She couldn't. She remembered her part in Framework Skye's beating. She remembered the kick that broke the girl's rib and the strike that opened the gash above her eyebrow. She remembered because she had caused both before realizing the girl was not the enemy, before realizing she, herself, was the only one that could save her.

"Daddy, please, I want to go home." Skye picked up her head and looked into Coulson's eyes as a new fear gripped her. Her eyes widened as she shook her head. "Don't forget me Daddy, know me, remember me. I need you to know me. You're the only one I have." Again the little girl buried her head in Coulson's shoulder sobbing uncontrollably.

"No, no angel," Coulson shushed her softly whispering into her ear. "I would never forget you, never no matter what I would never leave you behind, never." Again he looked to May, questioning everything with only his eyes.

The memory of sitting in that car, in the dark, listening to who he thought was a stranger try to convince him he was someone he was sure he was not was as clear as the one he had of sitting at breakfast this morning. Daisy's voice pleading with him to remember, to know her, not to have forgotten how much she meant to him and vice versa. He remembered, the voice, the timbre, the cadence, the hint of buried sorrow so close to the surface. He knew her and her name was there as if someone whispered it in his ear.

'Daisy'

In that dark place he had no memory of being a parent, no memory of the pull that drew him to a smartass kid living in a van or the need to cover her with the wings of SHIELD, his wings until she was secure enough to fly on her own. That thought filled every part of his mind now, the need to protect this smaller version of that same girl from horrors she should not remember and nightmares she never had. In his darkest dread he wondered if his Daisy felt the same way. Had she buried all the horror to protect them?

May turned away, unable to watch the heartbreak of Skye releasing the feelings their daughter must have repressed, the terror she must have felt but was unable to share. Daisy kept her feelings close to the cuff. She let people see a bit of what she thought or felt but inside, in the part of her that was still that little girl who had no one, that little girl that still feared the dark and the loneliness that comes with it Daisy pushed aside. She built a wall around those feelings whether it was because it made her seem weak or she refused to deal with them was irrelevant. May had done that herself. Hell she wrote the book on it and had no intention of letting her daughter wallow in that same misery. She'd told her that herself not so very long ago.

We've all been there in that place where we force ourselves to suppress the tears, the fears that we hide from the people around us. A small child who is sick at school lies quietly on a cushion, hugging a blanket and smiling when asked how he feels then bursts into the tears he's been holding at the sight of his mother, as he dives into her arms. The teen that puts up a brave front or sarcastic cynicism while waiting for her parent after a mishap sends her to the ER then breaks into the tears of a six year old when her father takes her in his arms assuring her all will be well. Daisy had had those experiences, skinned knees patched but never kissed, nightmares chased away without hugs or lullabies, tummy aches with medicine but no comfort and punishment without compassion. She'd held those tears without ever finding that place where they could be released. Now Skye was reliving Daisy's recent terrors clinging to Phil for safety, for protection and releasing every pent up emotion their daughter had never had the chance to do.

May felt the lump grow in her throat. How could she have not seen this? How did she not know how much her Daisy had held inside never letting any of them know the pain she shouldered?

"We should call Simmons," she spoke quietly. "She can give her something."

Coulson shook his head, rubbing his hand in small circles on the little girl's back. "I don't think she needs that May. I think she just needs us." He looked at her wondering why after everything that had happened she still kept her distance from the child who needed her so badly. Before he could respond to that feeling Skye reached out a hand toward May.

"Mommy," she turned her head on Coulson's shoulder but did not lift it. "Mommy," she pleaded.

May tried. She considered bolting from the room, but could not pull herself from that voice, that hand that reached through the walls she set around herself and across all possibility to wrap itself around her heart. 'Mommy', the mere word did something to her she could not begin to comprehend. Oh, she'd heard about the connection between mother and child, that mystical bond that held them together, that physiological whatever that ignites the hormones tying mom to her offspring. She could not leave her child.

Reaching out she took the small hand and pulled herself closer to Skye, wrapping her self around the little girl and into Coulson's embrace. She laid her head on the man's shoulder next to Skye's softly shushing her in Mandarin with quiet words and whispers. Skye's hysteria slowly melted into sobs and hiccoughs. Coulson gently lowered himself to the bed lying down the exhausted little girl between him and May. Skye snuggled close to him. May pulled closer on the opposite side humming a faint lullaby as the little girl fell into an exhausted sleep sandwiched between them.

xx

Daisy stood between Phil and Melinda just inside the door of the common room. A few agents milled around munching chips and sipping colas. A few others sat at a small table nursing mugs of coffee or maybe it was tea. She really wasn't sure who the hell she was looking for since she'd never heard of or met any Chuck on any mission they'd ever shared. He could be anyone of the guys in white lab coats or not…maybe he chucked it before his break. She snorted at her dumb pun. Phil and Melinda looked at her in tandem, she shrugged and they turned back.

"Sorry, Mel but I don't know the guy. You'll have to point him out." Phil shook his head.

Melinda glanced around the room and grimaced. "He's not here."

Daisy put her pinkie fingers to her lips and let out a shrill whistle through her teeth. The room fell silent as every agent turned toward the sound. "Hey, any of you seen Chuck or know where he is?" She shouted with the same authority she used back at home or whatever the hell that other place was, because now it kinda felt the same and that was new.

There was a soft murmur as everyone in the room looked to someone else and mumbled under their breath. Some shrugged while others tossed around ideas or shook their heads in silent disagreements.

"He was here about, oh twenty minutes ago. Said he had something to take care of, haven't seen him since." A very tall, thin bespectacled white coat informed them.

Daisy almost laughed because the guy looked exactly like that tall elf in the old Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Christmas¹ special.

"Yeah, carried that sweet laptop in here with some crazy story about someone's kid needing it," a second tech laughed. "Unicorns and rainbows…" he snickered as did three or four others.

One crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the tabletop. "Kid, hmpf," he scoffed. "Like anyone here would be crazy enough to have a kid. Old Chuckie's probably just hiding his love of Lisa Frank." A soft chuckle made its way around the room stopped dead in the glare of Melinda May.

She considered decking the stupid fool. Who was he to comment or even form an opinion on anyone having a child? She thought for a second and only a split second. Skye had not been an accident but she was certainly not planned, not for then anyway. She and Phil had been together as partners for almost four years before that little stint in Paris and nine months later there she was all pink and screaming at the top of her lungs.

They talked that night as they lay in each other's arms. She could still remember the curtain fluttering in the soft breeze on that summer night. They talked about how Fury would be furious and laughed at punniness of it. They considered the fact they'd work a few years. Hell, they were young, not yet thirty, either of them. They'd build a nice little nest egg, retire young then leave the agency and then someday in the future they'd have that family. In the morning they collected their clothes and their sanity and went back to work. It was a nice dream, but then there was reality and all the crap that went with it, like protecting the unknowing world from the world they knew nothing about. Who brings a kid into that?

Six weeks later they did not think that Fury was so funny when he read them the riot act, told them just how stupid they were and how he'd like to have them assigned to opposite ends of the globe in the dirtiest, most mind numbing assignments he could cook up. Somehow he'd found out about Paris and there was a lot of ass ripping. Melinda could still hear him threatening them with every means at his disposal. He slammed a hand on his desk and ordered Phil to some base somewhere in Africa with a name he could barely pronounce, then informed her she'd be just as miserable working with new cadets in a no named base just outside of Ishkabibble.

It was the first and only time Melinda May burst into tears in front of anyone. Fury stopped as if he'd been punched in the gut. Phil merely froze, like a statue with his mouth hanging open. To this day she'd chalked it up to hormones. Yep, she'd been feeling like crap for almost three weeks, couldn't even bear the thought of food and even her favorite tea had her running for the nearest rest room or trash bin, whatever was closer. She'd made an appointment with a private physician rather than the agency doctors just in case whatever it was might put her on the d/l. When he smiled at her and congratulated her on her condition she promptly puked in his pristine white waste basket.

"What…the…hell?" Fury looked at her as if she'd spun her head three hundred sixty degrees left then right.

Phil still stood motionless.

"I'm pregnant." She mumbled into the tissue she pulled from somewhere.

"Come again?" Fury asked as if she spoke one of the twelve languages he did not understand.

"You're p…p…" Phil swallowed hard. "You're p-p-p," he stammered.

"Pregnant," she shouted at him. "Yes, Phil, pregnant. I…am…pregnant, knocked up, got a bun in the oven, a bat in the cave…" she snarled at him. "And you just happen to be Batman!"

And Phil was on the floor. No, he hadn't fainted, just sat flat down with some dippy grin on his face as if he'd just slammed that big old hammer onto the lever and rang that bell for all the world to hear. She just wanted to punch him…and wanted to climb into his lap and cry until she couldn't breath.

"How the hell did that happen?" Fury demanded then held up both hands at the look they both gave him. "Nevermind," he growled. "Get off the floor Coulson," he threw in as an afterthought.

Phil went to Melinda immediately taking her hand. "Are you okay? Can I do anything?" He looked way over concerned.

She slapped him away. "You've done enough! And I'm not dying, jerk, I'm building a person."

Fury interjected. "Last time I heard it takes two and you are just as guilty…or complicit as he is." He snarled at her.

They were his best and his brightest, his hope for the future of this agency. He glared at them both until neither could look back then let out a breathy growl. Bending over his wide desk he scribbled something on a pad then walked around the mahogany piece and pushed it to Melinda. "Best in his field," he snarled, "and discreet. Make the appointment…today." She remembered nodding her reply as she stared at the name. "You're on desk duty as of yesterday."

Phil was off to Africa the next day and spent three months there before Fury forgave him just enough to bring him home. They expected to be removed from active duty and as soon as Melinda started showing she was put on leave until Skye came screaming into the world. They swore an oath of secrecy and kept their jobs. It had worked for ten years.

Skye had been a secret all those years, kept only to level seven agents and then only a select few. Those few became teachers, gardeners and crossing guards keeping one little girl safe in a world full of threats. When her parents were on a mission they were close, watching her home, her school even her friends until they returned and until this morning all of that worked effortlessly.

Melinda let out a hissing breath. Now was not the time to reveal that secret and knocking that idiot's teeth across the room would not find Chuck or fix this mess. Although it _would_ fulfill her need to just hit something.

A young female tech stepped forward. Daisy pulled a double take. She was and wasn't Simmons. Yeah she was the same size, her hair the same as the first day they met, pulled back in a soft ponytail. But she wasn't. That perky British accent was absent and somehow it made more difference than it should.

"I believe he had an appointment with medical, Agent May. We, all of us, are re-qualifying this month and Chuck got a call not long after he came in." She spoke directly to Melinda ignoring the grumbles of a few others.

"Great," Melinda growled as she turned and marched out of the room.

Phil thanked the tech and nodded to Daisy who also turned toward the door. He stepped behind her before they walked side by side with Melinda several feet ahead.

"So," Phil smiled, "That whistle thing, works for you in the future?"

Daisy shook her head and smiled.

xx

Jemma could not lift Fitz on her own, nor would she call for help having to explain or embarrass him so she made his as comfortable as she could with the pillows and blankets they kept in the room for their 'travelers'.

She paced across the floor so many times she was sure she'd worn a track, nibbling her nail and using almost every tissue in an attempt to stop her flood of tears. Could this get any worse? None of it made sense and for a second she thought that maybe they had never left the Framework that perhaps all of this was just another of AIDA's torture devices. If that horrific robot couldn't have Fitz she'd just drive him mad. In his madness he'd take down the rest of them as well.

But AIDA was gone. She'd seen it with her own eyes. She'd felt the heat and smelled the burnt workings of her cyborg body. She'd watched it crumble to ash, the ash that still lay in that dark corridor. It was time to get out of this place. Jemma wondered if life model decoys could possibly have dead spirit decoys and was that evil spirit now haunting all of them. After all Reyes had made a deal with Satan and everyone knew the Prince of Darkness could not be trusted. There was always a catch. Maybe she was haunting Fitz's program, still alive somewhere in the ones and zeros of his work.

"No, no" Jemma whispered to herself. "It can't be, this is all just so very wrong." She broke down again, falling to the floor next to Fitz, resting her head on his chest and listening to his heart beat beneath her. She closed her eyes and let exhaustion overtake her.

xx

Melinda slammed through the large door to the corridor that led to Medical. She had had it with this whole ridiculous situation and was ready to put an end to it. Old Chuck was ordered here for his annual physical and he better damn well have that bastard computer with him and it better damn well be in one piece and functioning, or not functioning as the case may be, just the way it was supposed to be.

She ripped open the curtain on the first exam room and glared into the eyes of the man seated on the exam table in one of those open all the way down the back gowns. He stared back in semi shock as he pulled the light sheet to his chin. Melinda huffed her disgust and moved to the next curtain, pulling it aside only to find it empty.

Phil and Daisy rushed through the door a few seconds behind. They halted just inside and looked in opposite directions for Melinda. Phil spotted her storming toward a third exam area.

"We better get her before she exposes the whole place." Phil said as he began moving toward her. Daisy was a beat behind, stopping at the sound of a strangled scream.

Phil almost fell into the room, grabbing the petition that separated them to stay on his feet. Daisy slid side long on the floppy shoes she still wore resembling some crazy kid on a skateboard. Both stood open mouthed in the opening. A young female agent stood half dressed, frozen with one arm in the sleeve of her blouse.

"Nevermind!" Melinda snapped as she pulled away.

Phil grabbed her arm and Daisy practically leapt in front of her with both palms held up. "Whoa, whoa, whoa there May…elin…om…" Daisy tried piecing some kind of name together. She shook it off. "Hey, you can't go tearing into every stall…er, room thingie in the place. Jeez, gawd you don't know what you might walk in on." The girl grimaced at the myriad of pictures dancing through her mind.

Melinda let out a grunt and stepped to move around the girl, yanking her elbow away from Phil.

"Mel," he sighed, stepping next to Daisy to block her way. "If he's here, we'll find him but Daisy's right you can't go storming into every exam area."

Melinda stood firm, she took a half step back and turned away took a deep breath and turned back. "I don't give a damn who is doing what and I'll drag his bare ass across this hall if that's what it takes."

"What the hell is going on here!" A stout woman demanded, slamming a clip board on the desk that stood in the center of the area. She looked Daisy up and down definitely eying every bruise. She turned to one of the orderlies that had followed her into the chaos. "Get this one to a room," she hiked a thumb over her shoulder.

The orderlies immediately noticing the girl's garb, grabbed both her arms and pulled them behind her back. Daisy struggled but it was useless without her powers or her strength. She never realized how much she missed both. Even stomping on one of their boot covered feet would be fruitless in those stupid slippers. Phil took a step toward them.

"There's no need for that," he cautioned. "She's with us."

The doctor paused for a moment. "And you are doing such a great job putting my mind at ease." She snarled her own displeasure. "Agent May, I hope you have a damn good reason for terrorizing my staff not to mention my patients."

Melinda opened her mouth but Phil again stepped in front of her. "She's just a bit over-zealous, Doc. We're looking for one of the IT guys. It's kinda urgent." He felt more than heard Melinda's growl behind him. "Funny thing is," he gave a small chuckle, "our detainee here," he nodded toward Daisy. "She's been treated already, yep, treated and released to our…custody and that's why we're looking for…" He hesitated, grinning ear to ear.

"Chuck," Daisy spit through her teeth, still struggling with the brutes that refused to release her.

"Chuck, yep that's right. We, the three of us," he wound his finger in a circle. "We're looking for Chuck."

The doctor merely stared. "Chuck," she repeated.

"Yep, that's right, Chuck," Phil nodded, casting a quick glance over his shoulder at Melinda who merely rolled her eyes. "He's a…here for requalification…from IT." He explained further.

"You mentioned that," the doctor deadpanned shoving her hands in her pockets. She nodded to the orderlies who released Daisy.

She yanked her arms away from them and quickly moved to Phil's side.

"And what exactly has Chuck done to gain the attention and obviously the aspiration of Melinda May?" she narrowed her eyes at the trio.

Melinda pushed her way between them. "He has something I need." She sneered at the doctor.

"Apparently," the older woman sneered right back. "Must be something ver…"

"Look," Melinda stepped nose to nose with the doctor who did not budge. "I don't have time for this. Tell me where that damn fool is or I'll tear your precious department apart and find him myself."

For a moment the two women stood glaring into each other's eyes, breathing hot and heavy. Phil and Daisy held their breath knowing someone somewhere had already alerted security, both noticed the blinking red light that signaled a silent alarm. Neither wanted to witness what would happen if any of them tried to take Melinda into custody.

The doctor's arm reached to the desk and slid the clipboard forward. She slammed it down again and flipped up two pages before she turned from Melinda and looked at it. Scanning the page, she looked back still glaring and flipped a third.

"Charles Salinger was here an hour ago." She flipped the chart closed and wrapped her arms around it in front of her.

Melinda did not respond.

"That's it?" Phil was appalled. "He was here an hour ago? Then what?"

"Then I sent him to the main medical terminal for further tests and that, Agent Coulson is all I can tell you." The doctor smiled.

Melinda still stood rooted to the spot but Phil sensed her defeat, saw the glare disappear from her eyes although she kept it masked in place. He stepped toward her but she spun on her heels and marched away heading for the exit. Phil looked at the doctor once then hurried after her.

Daisy watched them go then turned back to the doctor who had dismissed her bouncer orderlies and was walking away. She hurried to catch up. "Wait, wait a minute," she almost begged the older woman. When the doctor turned toward her Daisy stopped, keeping a safe distance. "This guy, this Chuck person, he's got something that belongs to Agent May. He took it from her office without permission and…" she thought quickly about how to explain this unbelievable situation. "A kid's life depends on it, doc. M-m, Agent May is close to the family. She's kinda broken up over it."

The doctor paused. Agent May broken up? Agent May close to anyone? Whoever this kid was, she didn't know May very well. "I find that hard to believe…" she paused again, at a loss for a name.

"Ah, Johnson, Agent Johnson…" Daisy offered then noticed the woman once again looking her up and down. She pulled the oversized jumpsuit out on either side with two fingers. "This? This is temporary. I had a little wardrobe malfunction." She smiled for a moment and then shook her head. "It doesn't matter. We just really need to find this guy. Please."

The doctor stared at the girl let out a stiff breath and flipped open the metal clipboard again. She scanned the document for a moment then let it drop closed. She shook her head and Daisy's heart fell. "You have to understand, Agent Johnson," she used the name as if she didn't believe it. "There's the matter of confidentiality and that damn Hippa law, but you can probably find him in tech tomorrow morning. In the meantime he carried something out of here heading for the locker room." She turned and walked away. "But you didn't hear that from me." The doctor commented without turning around.

Daisy smiled, shook her fists in front of her and mouthed a quick thank you before heading in the direction Phil and Melinda had gone.


	48. 48 There'll Be Times You Get So Scared

**Chapter 48**

 **There'll Be Times You Get So Scared**

Daisy caught up to her parents before they exited the medical labs and filled them in on Chuck's trip to the locker room. She followed them into it and walked up and down the rows of metal cabinets searching for the one the nerdy tech might have used. Melinda marched along the same pulling on every one to test its lock. Daisy was sure the woman was pretty close to just tearing the doors off every locker in the place. She was also sure that Phil was the only thing stopping her. She watched as he gave her looks that just spoke volumes. She loved the way they could communicate without words. Apparently, they could do it in any world or maybe that never-miss-a-trick Fitz just programmed them that way. Whatever, it was the cutest thing Daisy had ever seen. She smiled to herself then turned when she recognized a certain odor.

The girl walked closer to the lockers inhaling slowly as she passed. The scent was stronger toward the end of the row she stopped at the very last metal door and knew she was correct.

"This one," Daisy smiled and tapped the door of the locker she leaned against. "It's definitely this one."

Phil and Melinda exchanged a glance.

Melinda stepped to the locker and looked it up and down. It didn't look any different than the other two dozen in the barren room. "You know this how?" She raised an eyebrow at the young girl as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Daisy jiggled the catch on the metal door. It was locked, unlike most of the other small containers that held agents' clothing or coats. Nothing of value was generally stored in any of these lockers. If an agent had an office their personal possessions were more than likely locked in a drawer there and if they didn't…well those things were either left at home or locked in vehicles. Most agents had very little personal items with them while 'on the job', it was easier that way. Of course there were the few that lived in the barracks on base and they, also of course, left everything they owned in those barracks. This particular locker was secure meaning someone had something they did not want to lose or something they didn't want anyone else to have.

Daisy stood a little closer to the small vent at the top of the locker and drew a short breath. She smiled at Melinda and held her hand toward the spot. The woman narrowed her gaze and Daisy let out a frustrated breath.

"Come on May, take a sniff!" The girl leaned close to the locker vent and sniffed several times. "Don't you smell it?"

Melinda leaned closer and sniffed once, stood back then sniffed again. She did smell something…something familiar…medicinal. Alcohol? No, not…some kind of antiseptic…soap. It was that damn soap they used in medical, the damn soap they made everyone wash with before leaving. It took days for that damn scent to wear off. She smiled at the young girl standing next to her and yanked at the locked latch. Daisy smiled back.

Melinda's expression changed to a scowl. "Don't call me May." She snarled at Daisy who gave a curt nod and looked to Phil who was smiling broadly.

Daisy missed her ability to vibrate the lock free and held her hand over it putting every bit of concentration into doing just that but had no success. Melinda shook her head and bumped the girl to the side. "You can't just think it open."

"Well you can't go kicking it apart, either." Daisy snapped back, more upset with her lack of power than with Skye's mother. "If the laptop is in there you could take it out at the same time." She snarled.

Melinda stared at the younger woman. "Quite an attitude, too." She shook her head.

Daisy's frustration had not yet been spent. "Well, I come by it honestly. Don't I?"

Phil stepped between the sparring partners before it could go farther. "How 'bout we just try the key?" He held up a small silver piece and pressed it into the hole above the handle. Jiggling it twice he rattled the lift without success then tried again. This time the lever clicked and the lock released. He smiled at the women on either side.

"You had that all along." Melinda accused.

"They keep it there," he pointed to a small box on the far wall, "just in case."

"In case?" Daisy scrunched up her nose.

Phil shrugged his shoulders as he struggled to open the small door. "Lost key, agent…agent no longer needing it." He shrugged again and stepped back as the door came free.

Three agents stared into the small cubby. Daisy reached in and pulled aside a dark colored jacket revealing the laptop. She could not stop the smile that spread across her face as she pulled it from the locker and dropped down on the small bench that ran the length of the room. Phil and Melinda watched as the girl flipped the device open and tapped a key.

Daisy's face fell as the computer did not respond. She tapped a few more keys and waited then put a hand under it and shook her head. "It's dead." She announced with a sigh.

"Dead?"

"Now what?"

Phil and Melinda responded at the same time.

"Out of juice, down, no power," she explained trying to see around them. "Is the power cord there?"

Phil turned back and pulled the jacket from the locker. He shook his head.

Daisy let out a sigh. "Well, it's not terminal but it will take a bit for it to recharge. We need to find a cord and plug it in."

Melinda let out a frustrated huff and paced away from her husband and child. Phil watched her then let out a sigh of his own. "It's late," he announced. "Let's just take it back home. The cord is probably there or we can stop and pick one up on the way."

Daisy snapped the top closed, rose and tucked the laptop under her arm. She gave a nod and took a step. Melinda slammed her fist into the locker nearest the door causing Daisy to jump and Phil to shake his head. His wife had reached the breaking point. She turned and faced them.

"And how do we explain her," she nodded at Daisy, "to my father and the FBI agents still parked in our living room. This whole time travel thing is not going to go over with either."

Phil looked at Daisy's jumpsuit, frowned and shook his head. "We'll think of something." He placed a hand on Daisy's shoulder and took Melinda's arm, driving both out the door and down the hall toward the exit.

Melinda paused for a moment, drawing a breath as Phil continued. She reached forward catching Daisy by the arm. She pulled her close and smiled a not so friendly grin. "Watch your step and mind the attitude, Skye."

"It's Daisy," the girl snarled, yanking her arm away. Maybe she hadn't spent all that anger because Melinda certainly hadn't. She took a step and was immediately pulled back.

"Don't push your luck, Daisy." Melinda stressed the girl's name.

Daisy tried to pull away but Melinda's grip was vice-like. She narrowed her eyes and challenged the woman who was Skye and, by proxy, her mother. "Or what, May? What are you gonna do, take me over your knee? I'm a little too big for that." She smiled her own not so friendly grin.

Melinda pulled her closer, lowering her voice to a calm but viable threat. "Don't push your luck." She repeated. "Or we'll just find out, won't we?" She released the girl and walked away, following Phil down the corridor.

Daisy paused for a moment watching them go, took a deep breath and decided she needed all the luck she could get. Annoying Melinda-mommy was probably not the wisest thing to do…ever.

xx

Skye opened her eyes slowly and blinked a few times before realizing where she was. Where she was, was safe but not home safe. The smell of Daddy's cologne was strong as she cuddled closer to him and felt his strong arm around her. She pressed her cheek closer to his chest and felt his chin on her head. His soft snore pacified the part of her that wanted to cry. Mommy was just as close. The little girl smiled at the feel of her arm resting just above Daddy's, just close enough to touch. She could feel Mommy's soft breath on the back of her neck, tickling just enough to let her know she was there. It was comfortable, secure and warm.

But it wasn't home.

Skye listened to the soft sounds of her parents but all of that was surrounded by an unfamiliar silence and she wondered why she never noticed it before. At home, in her own bed, there were a lot of sounds she really never paid much attention to, but they had always been there. The sounds of morning when birds chirped and cars passed by on the way to wherever people went so very early were missing in this strange place that had no windows. It was hard to tell what time of day it was here. Skye never realized that those sounds told her just that. Day sounds and night sounds were so different, so were afternoon and evening sounds. They were comforting, a way to let the little girl know all was right with her world and here…well here everything was just wrong.

Maybe it was the middle of the night. Skye almost let herself laugh at that thought because the middle of the night was really the beginning of the morning and those thoughts always made her mind go twisty. At home if she woke at whatever that time was, she could tell. It would be dark, but the streetlight on the corner would shine into her room and make funny shadows through the leaves on the big tree in the front yard. It would be silent and still but she could hear the wind or the rain if the weather chose to send it. A car might go by and in the summer crickets would be chirping or somewhere a dog would bark. They were late-early sounds that sometimes made her smile and sometimes sent her scurrying down the dark hallway to jump into her parents' bed to quell her sudden fear.

Here the silence was even scarier.

And the dark was even darker.

Skye drew a shaky breath and felt Mommy's hand rubbing small circles against her back. She softly rolled over and bumped her nose against May's, their foreheads just touched. Skye could tell the woman was smiling, even though she didn't do it very often. May put a finger to her lips and gently sat up, motioning for the little girl to follow. They slid off the bed and tiptoed to the door, leaving Coulson sound asleep.

May let the door close with a soft whoosh and took Skye by the hand, leading her through the dim hallway to the softly lit common room. She pulled chair from the table and nodded toward it silently asking the little girl to sit down.

Skye stared for a moment then looked up at her May-mother. "Am I in trouble?" She asked softly, chewing her bottom lip.

"Should you be?" May asked back, then smiled when the little girl dropped her gaze to the floor.

Skye shrugged her shoulders and slid onto the chair. "I was acting kinda weird before, maybe you're mad at me now."

May set a glass on the table and filled it with milk then pushed it toward the child. "Why should anything weird make me mad?" She asked as she turned and set the tea pot on the stove. "Things are always weird here. Don't you think?"

Skye looked up and around the large room. "Yeah," she agreed as she wrapped her hands around the milk. "This is a really weird place, but you're not weird." She added quickly.

May sat down across from the child and smiled. "Well, thank you for that." She smiled. "Hungry?" She asked the little girl who sipped at the milk.

"Not really," Skye answered around a swallow. "Is it breakfast time?"

"It's early." May replied with a soft sigh. "But we can do breakfast if you want."

Skye shook her head. "I don't want any. My stomach is kind funny."

May pursed her lips and nodded. "Maybe we should see if Simmons is awake."

Again the little girl shook her head as she was taking another sip of milk. "Uh uh, I'm not sick, just kinda funny."

May nodded then stood as the tea pot whistled. She poured the water into her mug and set the pot back on the stove. "You wanna talk about it?"

Skye laid her head on her arms folded on the table and watched as the condensation dribbled down the side of her glass. "You can't dream when you're awake." She mumbled.

"There's daydreaming." May countered as she stirred honey into her tea.

The little girl put her finger tip on the glass and let the cold drip run over her nail. "It's not the same." She continued addressing the milk rather than looking at May directly.

"I suppose." May agreed as she blew a soft breath across her very hot tea then took a small sip.

"Dreams are all mixed up and you know it's not real even if it scares you and you have to yell for your mom." Skye told her glass. "Once you stop feeling all scared it's okay again."

"Mmmm," May replied, keeping calm despite the little girl's roundabout way of discussing what had happened. She really preferred the direct route to any solution or problem, but seems this one had her own way of doing things. May tried to be patient in Coulson's absence.

"Daydreams are kinda on purpose." Skye let out a soft breath and rolled her head to the other arm, still tracing drips down the side of her glass with one finger. "You think about something cool or something you really want and kinda get all stuck in it until the teacher yells your name."

May smiled at the fact Skye was speaking from experience. Yes, she could picture her little Daisy millions of mind miles away from any lecture or subject that did not hold her interest. She remembered her own experience, dreaming of flying across the ice instead of long division or South American geography. The woman took another sip to hide her small laugh.

"Remembering is way different, though." Skye shivered and pulled back her hand, tucking it under her chin. "Remembering is real. You don't make it up."

May reached across the table and moved the glass in order to see the little girl's face. "No, you don't make up memories but sometimes they're pretty scary if you don't also remember they can't hurt you." May felt pretty hypocritical telling the child that considering her own memories haunted her daily.

Skye ran her finger around the watery circle left by the glass. "But it hurt when it really happened," she whispered.

May let out a sigh and realized she needed to help this child, her child get past this new stumbling block in their ever-changing, never-ending saga. She reached again and wrapped her hand around the little girl's. "None of those things happened to you Skye and they never will. They're not your memories."

"They're Daisy's." Skye breathed, staring at May's hand around her own. "She doesn't blame you." The little girl looked up for the first time, staring into May's eyes with all of Daisy's sincerity. "She knows it wasn't you and we forgive you. You saved us. You always save me, even when I don't deserve it."

May blinked once. Skye's voice sounded odd, almost mechanical as her pronouns bounced from person to person. She stood and tugged Skye to her feet as well then guided her around the small table to stand in front of her. May took both of the little girl's hands in her own and held them tightly.

"Let's get one thing straight for you to remember and for Daisy to know, once and for all." She spoke a little harshly and Skye dropped her gaze to the floor. May took a breath and reached with one finger to the little girl's chin, gently raising her head until their eyes met. She smiled until the corners of Skye's mouth raised just a fraction.

"One thing," May repeated softly. "You will always deserve to be saved, to be loved, to be wanted because you are my heart," she pulled the little hands to the center of her chest and did nothing to stop the tear that ran over her cheek. "And you, _you_ are my chance and my hope and no matter what you dream or remember or fear I will be here for you now, today and tomorrow and wherever and whenever we are." Forgoing every bit of her emotional wall, May brought the same hands to her lips and kissed them.

Skye fell forward, wrapping her arms around May's neck. "Daisy remembers a lot of bad things cuz she got hurt lots of times." She pushed back just enough to look into May's eyes. "Promise you'll tell her too. She's afraid if she loves you that you'll go away like all the others. She needs to fit with you cuz she let herself want it real bad."

May nodded then whispered, "I promise, baobei. Wǒ huì gàosù tā wǒ yǒu duō ài tā. Wǒ chéngnuò.¹"

Whatever was happening and however it was happening, Skye was remembering more and more about Daisy's life. The sooner they sent her back where she belonged the better it would be and May hoped she'd leave all those memories behind. She hugged the little girl tighter and kissed the top of her head.

xx

Daisy kicked off the jumpsuit with relief in back of Phil's large SUV. He'd have to keep his eyes on the road and she needed to shed the horrid thing so wriggling into the clothes Melinda snagged at Target while bouncing around the back seat was just the price she'd have to pay. Mommy-Mel had pretty good taste but not quite what Daisy would have chosen herself. She pulled the skinny black jeans up with a few bounces and leaned back as far as possible to pull up the fly and click the snap. The top was just a plain dark burgundy ribbed T with long sleeves. The dorky socks and black sneakers were not so great. Of course the retail giant wasn't the best place to find boots suitable for a SHIELD agent so Daisy couldn't really complain.

The plan was to tell FBI Agent Fox that Daisy was working undercover trying to crack an internet case that involved luring children away from their homes. The agent would more than likely question the fact that she had no knowledge of such a case, but Phil would come up with something before they had to provide an explanation. He was good at that kind of thing and Melinda had the utmost faith in him.

William would be a tougher sell. He was more than likely consumed with guilt, fear and grief by this point and would demand answers. Even if they managed to fool the FBI, Melinda knew her father would see right through her lies. Telling him the truth seemed the only real answer but getting him somewhere they could speak privately with all those agents milling around there home would not be easy. And would he even believe them? He'd probably think Melinda had gone mad with anxiety.

Anxiety, Melinda thought about that as they drove toward home. She was no longer anxious over Skye's disappearance. What the hell? The girl was right there, currently squirming around the back seat while wrestling herself into new clothing. It was actually Skye. Melinda knew that in her heart. This woman with the snarkiest attitude she'd ever had the opportunity to experience was truly her sweet girl, all grown up. She narrowed her eyes at that thought. When Skye did get back in her own timeline she would make damn sure she exercised that right out of her. No way was her daughter going to be such a badass. Not if she had a hand in it and she intended to use that hand as often as necessary to prevent it.

They pulled into the driveway just after dark and sat in the car for a moment staring at their home with a light in every window. It was an odd sight to see, considering they hadn't been there all day. A young man in a dark suit appeared from somewhere in the shadows and tapped on Phil's window then motioned for him to roll it down. They spoke for a few seconds before the man tapped his ear bud and let the agents inside know the Coulson's had arrived and would enter with a third party in a few moments. He turned back to Phil and gave him the all clear.

Daisy pushed the jumpsuit to the floor and kicked it under the front seat then tucked the laptop under her arm, grabbed the new power cord and attempted to open the door. The handle moved like it should but the door remained closed. She checked the lock but found it unlatched and tried again without success. Phil and Melinda had already exited and stood together on the passenger side. She slid across the seat and tried that door with the same result. The girl sat back with a huff, wrapping her arms around the laptop she now held in front of her.

Melinda pulled the door open and glared at her. "What are you doing? Let's go!" She grumbled something under her breath in Mandarin as she walked toward the house. Daisy was pretty sure it was language unbecoming to an agent as she pulled herself out of the SUV.

Phil gave a weak smile as he closed the door. "Safety locks," he shrugged. Daisy rolled her eyes and followed him up the walk to the front steps.

Agent Fox met the couple at the door. The glare she cast Daisy was almost as wicked as May's but Daisy being Daisy merely shrugged it off. The sooner she got this damn laptop up and running the sooner she could end all of this hullabaloo. Hullabaloo? Where did that come from? She shook her head as she followed the couple into their home.

"We've run a background check on you Johnson and as far as our records are concerned, you don't exist. No birth certificate, no social, no driver's license, not even a health report or school record…care to explain?"

"W…" Daisy started to form a response when Phil stepped in front of her.

"Agent Johnson works deep cover, Fox. You wouldn't expect to find information that any hacker could get their hands on that easily. Would you?"

The agent narrowed her gaze. "I don't like it. You go off and disappear for a whole day, not one word from you. Maybe you aren't all that surprised or concerned that your daughter is missing." She glanced at Phil then turned to Melinda. "Maybe you know a lot more about the kid's disappearance than you care to share."

Phil could almost feel Melinda's temper boiling. Daisy hid a smirk behind a cough, ducking behind the laptop she still held against her chest. Stepping next to Melinda and taking her arm, Phil explained. "We were involved in the investigation on our own, Fox. Our agency has just as much access as yours and we certainly don't need your permission or plan on apologizing for doing so." His temper was on a slow boil as well.

Again the agent seemed to be sizing up the situation. "You left here this morning practically in hysterics and now look at you, barely flustered. Maybe you have something you'd like to share." She prodded.

Phil shook his head. "Not particularly. It's been a long day and right now we both feel that Agent Johnson is our best bet for solving this whole thing."

Fox turned to the young girl and eyed the laptop. "We have experts that can get to whatever that device has to tell you. They're good and experienced in the like. We can have answers in hours." She held out a hand toward Daisy who took a step back, shook her head and held on to the laptop with a firm grip.

Phil interceded once again. "Agent Johnson's an expert herself, probably more of an expert than any of your people. She's been doing this for years."

"Years?" Fox scoffed. "She's no more than a kid herself. What kind of experience does she have other than a few games of Candy Crush?" She took another look at the young agent and snorted. "Or maybe a little identity theft? That it kid? You some kind of back hat?"

Daisy couldn't help the laugh. "I think you mean black hat and no I have no interest in anyone's identity except the one who might have lured Skye out of here this morning." She hid the lie in a truth.

"And you know this how?" Fox narrowed her eyes.

"We've been after this hacker for a while now," Daisy elaborated. "Gets to kids through social media or game formats, but he or she leaves a digital trail. I've just got to track it before it gets cold and you are slowing me down."

Fox sneered at the girl then turned back to Phil. "Why wasn't I told this earlier? And where was that computer this morning? How's it that the only person who seems able to get into it is the person who comes up with it?"

"I took it this morning." Melinda almost growled. "Skye was being punished for using it without permission and matching that with a very unhealthy attitude. I took it to work to make sure she knew I was serious."

"So you punished her right before she disappeared?" Fox seemed to be on another witch hunt. "Maybe all this is for naught, maybe she just took off in anger." She turned from the couple and watched her agents working in the next room then turned back. "Just how did you punish her? Maybe just a little too much? Maybe lost your temper and now have to make up this big farce to hide what really happened to your daughter? Tell me, Coulson, where _is_ Skye?"

This time Phil was not fast enough to stop his wife. She was face to face with the Bureau agent before he could form an answer. Daisy watched wide eyed as Melinda jabbed a finger into the agent's shoulder, pushing her back a step with each.

"I did punish her and she deserved every smack I landed on her little backside but I never, never, _ever_ hurt my child. Wherever she is I am sure she is still smarting from the spanking she earned but I assure you that she is alive and well. Which is a lot more than I can say for you if you don't back down."

Fox pushed back, regaining the steps she took. Apparently unfazed by the May-presence Melinda had assumed. "Didn't hurt her? Didn't _hur_ t her?!" She yowled at Melinda. "You throttled her behind and claim she's still aching and in the same breath claim she isn't hurt? Abuse and spanking go hand in hand Coulson or whatever the hell you call yourself and when, WHEN I find that child I will make sure the authorities are made aware of your…"

Daisy was sure she hadn't blinked but she heard the smack and Fox was out cold in the small space between the coffee table and the couch. Three agents moved quickly from the dining room, two pulled the table away and bent down to their supervisor while the third stood before Melinda. This one was definitely threatened by Maylinda's glare because he backed down immediately and stepped back merely holding out a hand.

"I…I know you're upset ma'am, but…but…" apparently he was at a loss for words.

"MELINDA!"

Everyone turned toward the doorway where William stood glaring at his daughter. She drew a quick breath and reined in her anger, clenching and unclenching her fists as she took slow deep breaths and let them out slowly.

"What is happening here in our home? Why is there fighting when my granddaughter is still missing? You argue and fight among yourselves while she is out there needing you to cooperate in order to find her. I have contacted your mother. She will be here before morning." William rarely raised his voice or lost his temper, but now he was almost rabid.

Melinda closed her eyes and drew a very deep breath. "Fùqīn, yuánliàng wǒ. Wǒ duì nàgè zhǐzé wǒ shānghài wǒ de háizi de nǚrén gǎndào shēngqì. Duìbùqǐ.²" She spoke softly to her father, eyes cast to the floor then drew a breath and grit her teeth. "Dànshì, rúguǒ zhège gāisǐ de biǎo zi bùnéng líkāi wǒ de liǎn hé wǒ de jiā, wǒ bù huì duìjiē xiàlái huì fāshēng de shì fù zérèn.³"

Daisy's jaw dropped at Melinda's change in demeanor. In all of her Skye memories she had never heard her Melinda-mom talk to Yeye like that. Apparently, Phil hadn't either because he was either shocked senseless or had fallen into a frozen stupor. The man merely stared at his wife as the two agents pulled their boss to her feet.

"Consider yourself lucky, Coulson." She growled as she rubbed a hand on her chin. "If it weren't for your child being missing I'd have you cuffed and dragged in for assaulting an agent." She pulled her arms away from the two men and dismissed them both.

"I'd like to see you try." Melinda dared the woman.

"Enough!" William commanded. "I will not have this in my house. If you cannot conduct yourself in a civil manner it would be best if you and your agents take leave. I am sure my daughter and her husband can manage this with the help of their own colleagues." The man spoke firmly but never left the spot in which he stood.

The agent gave a curt nod, glared once at Melinda and moved to the dining room to confer with her agents. If they had any chance of finding this child alive and well it would be in the next few hours and it would have to be done in cooperation. For now, she put her suspicions about Melinda May Coulson on a back burner and ordered one of the agents to have the top computer expert sent to the house immediately.

Melinda watched the woman move away and drew in a quick breath. She'd needed to punch something for a long time and while that was some release she really could have done a lot more. The fact that her father had contacted her mother _AND_ the woman was on her way did nothing to quell her growing fury.

Daisy had backed to the small space at the bottom of the stairs, merely watching the action. William barely noticed the girl until the room grew quiet. He walked toward her slowly, narrowing his eyes as if he was sure he'd seen her somewhere before or knew her from another place. Daisy recounted her steps that morning wondering if at any point the she and the man had crossed paths.

"You are a friend?" He asked warily.

"She's here to help." Phil quickly stepped in front of the girl. "She knows a lot about computers. We think it may help."

"You feel our Skye has been abducted by a computer manipulator?" William asked Phil but kept his eye on Daisy. She fought the feeling to wipe her face or check her clothing for some malfunction.

"Hacker," the girl whispered. He smiled at her.

"It's the last thing we know Skye was doing. We don't know for sure, but Daisy can get into the computer to find out everything Skye did or if someone else was watching her." Phil explained.

"It is a very strange world in which we live." William commented, still smiling at Daisy. "There is much we do not understand, yet it seems to surround us without our knowledge."

Daisy hicked a small laugh. "Computers are a thing of the future, comin' at us more and more every day. Gotta keep up with technology." She inwardly groaned at the ridiculous comment.

"Skye is quite fond of this machine." He tapped the edge of the laptop. "She embraces it in quite the same manner." Again he smiled the smile that made Daisy felt a wave of subconsciousness.

"Just keeping it safe," she responded as she looked down at how she held the device.

William softly chuckled as he turned to his daughter. "You have trained this one well, Mellie. Still she has much spirit." He reached up and gently patted the girl's cheek then turned to Melinda. "I will make some tea, Melinda. We will talk before your mother arrives. Perhaps your Daisy will solve this dilemma in the meantime."

Daisy gave a weak smile. William smiled back. "Many things change in time, young lady, but the eyes cannot hide what we know for certain." He turned and walked toward the kitchen. Daisy furrowed her brow and nodded slowly.

Phil watched as the man moved out of earshot then turned to Melinda and whispered. "What exactly did you say your father did for a living?"

"A lot more than I thought," Melinda answered, staring in the same direction.

Daisy stepped between them. "He knows." She whispered.

"Impossible," both replied in the same whisper.

xx

Melinda joined her father in the kitchen while Phil led Daisy to the second floor. He pushed open the door to Skye's room and frowned at the mess inside. The agents had processed the room and left it in less than pristine condition. He picked up the comforter from where it hung off the bed and spread it across the mattress. "Sorry about this. It isn't usually so…"

"I know." Daisy smiled. "Been here. Remember?"

Phil paused for a moment then understood. He rubbed his palms together and let out a short breath. "Guess I don't need to show you anything so…um…well, make yourself at home." He let out a soft snort. "Yeah, well you are home then aren't you?"

"Kinda, I guess." Daisy shrugged.

"Okay then, I guess it's good night. Ah, yeah, well if you need anything we're ah...we'll be right down the hall." Phil wasn't sure what to say or just how to say it.

Daisy felt pretty much the same. "I…I think I'll be fine. I've got pretty much all I need."

Remembering the small bag he had carried from the car and almost left in the parlor he turned and retrieved it from where he dropped it on the dresser. "Oh, I almost forgot. Mel…your mom, figured you'd need…well, she…" He held the bag out to her.

"Thanks," Daisy smiled.

"Okay, then, good night." Phil sighed, backing toward the door slowly. He gave a little nervous wave.

Daisy set the bag and laptop on the bed and gave the same wave then shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Goodnight, Daddy, don't worry everything's gonna be okay." She whispered to him. 'Daddy', the word felt good as it rolled off her tongue. She'd wanted to call him that for a very long time. Well, maybe not daddy exactly, but definitely 'dad'. That's who he was in her heart and in every bit of her feeling for him, even without the title. Here it just fit, because that was who he was, Skye's daddy and the name would not offend or embarrass him. The warmth of it rolled over her like a warm coating and she liked the feeling. It felt even better than she thought it would. Maybe, just maybe when she got back she'd try it out with Coulson, just to see…but the last time she did that things hadn't worked out so well and she wasn't sure she could risk it so she just hugged this Phil-Daddy tighter and whispered it again so softly he barely heard.

Phil let out the breath he'd been holding and relaxed into his daughter's embrace. He took in the scent of her hair and felt her warm breath against his cheek. This was his angel, his baby, his sweet girl. He squeezed a little tighter and kissed her temple. "Goodnight, angel eyes."

The girl pulled back and smiled before kissing his cheek. "I'm gonna work on this for while. I'll keep you posted. You should probably go make sure Mayyyyom," she slurred, "doesn't mix it up with the biǎo zi again."

Phil turned, putting a hand on the doorknob. "You know I'm not quite sure what that means but I'm thinking it is not a compliment."

Daisy formed kissy lips, raised her brows and shook her head.

xx

Fitz opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling for a moment before realizing he was on the floor. His first impulse was to jump to his feet but the heaviness on his chest kept him bolted to the floor. The memory of how he'd gotten there was a little fuzzy and he wondered if he'd had some sort of seizure or…heaviness…chest… Was he having a heart attack? He tried raising his left arm, but it too was rooted to the…blanket? Was he lying on a blanket? Why did his head feel full of cotton balls? He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and stopped suddenly when a soft sound met his ears.

It was a sigh or a sob or a sobby sigh and before he could figure out which, Jemma's face was before him. She smiled and put a hand to his head, then his cheek. Her mouth was moving, she was talking but the buzz in his ears kept him from hearing what she said. He furrowed his brow and listened as sound began tuning like an old fashioned radio. At first it was all wah-wah-wah but slowly became real words spoken through an old echoey tin can and then it was clear as a bell.

"…and it was so terrible and I'm so, so sorry, Fitz. I didn't know what else to do. Fitz? Fitz? Are you alright? Can you hear me? Fitz?" Jemma was beginning to sound frantic.

Fitz pulled himself to a sitting position and took her hand from his head, then massaged the bridge of his nose with the other. "I'm fine, Jemma." He answered hoarsely.

"The headache will pass, I promise. It's just a side effect." Jemma almost sobbed as she kneeled next to him.

"Side effect?" He repeated.

"You were so upset. I didn't know what else to do. I was afraid…" she began explaining.

"You iced me?" Fitz squeaked.

Jemma stopped mid sentence and stared at him for moment then blinked and sat back on her heels. "Don't be ridiculous," she was certainly insulted. "I would never do such a thing. I simply injected you with a sedative to calm you down."

Fitz returned the stare. "Oh, that is so much better." He started to rise but slipped back down with a sudden dizziness.

"You need to sit here a bit, Fitz. It will take a few minutes to wear off." Jemma held his arm and discretely felt his pulse.

"How long have I been here?" Fitz exhaled.

Jemma looked to the large digital clock on the far wall. "All night it seems. Perhaps we should get you something to eat. Maybe a cup of tea?" She suggested. "It will help you recover more quickly."

The man shook his head slowly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I can't…can't leave…Daisy…" He pushed himself to his feet, sliding a few times on the soles of his shoes against the tile.

Jemma rose just as quickly, holding him steady as he groped his way to his monitors and fell into his chair. He scrubbed the heels of his hands into his eyes then sat back and blinked them into focus. Holding his fingers over the home keys, he hesitated, unsure of his coordination and afraid of typing in anything that would jeopardize his friend's safety. Instead he looked up at the many screens and scrutinized each, looking for the slightest change. He let out a breath, not sure if it was of relief or of frustration. Nothing had changed.

He dropped back against the chair and let his head fall back. He slowly dropped it back to his chest and closed his eyes for a moment as the memory of last night slowly came back. He gripped the arms of the chair until his knuckles turned white and asked one question.

"Skye?"

Jemma hesitated for a moment. She'd been with Fitz all night and had no idea how the little girl was. "She's with May and Coulson. I haven't heard anything and no one's come looking for me. I can only hope that means she is better than she had been." She gave him a weak smile.

Fitz turned to face the woman. He paused for a moment then took her hands into his own. "Jemma, I would do nothing to harm Daisy or Skye. I ran diagnostic after diagnostic on this program to be sure there was nothing of…of _her_ left. I promise you there is nothing and no way she could have done anything to this. She is gone Jemma. She cannot hurt any of us." He lowered his gaze and paused for a moment before squeezing her hands tightly. "I would never let her." He whispered.

Jemma had been close to tears. She could not hold back any longer. Breaking down, she put a hand to her mouth and pulled away but he caught her hand and stood as he pulled her back wrapping her in his arms.

"We're going to fix this, Jemma." He kissed the top of her head. "I promise."

xx

Daisy smiled at the nightshirt Melinda-mom had chosen. It had been a very long time since she'd had any kind of nightwear other than oversized T's and sweat pants. This was a pale blue knee length gown covered with stars and half moons. It looked like something a mother would buy, simple and comfortable much like the package of plain white girlie briefs she'd thrown into the bag.

She sat on the twin bed and folded her legs in front of her. The laptop had been plugged in since she'd made her way to the bathroom and took care of things, changed her clothes and took a quick sneak to the top of the stairs just to listen but heard nothing more than mumbles of conversation. She pulled the device into her lap and lifted the top. Crossing her fingers and looking skyward she mumbled a quick prayer she remembered from so long ago, closed her eyes and tapped the power key.

Daisy let out a breath as she felt the soft vibration against her knees and waited for the screen to open. It wasn't taking any longer than usual but it felt as if time was creeping as she waited for the laptop to welcome her. The screen turned a bright blue. Pretty normal, she told herself, crossing her fingers that ole Chuck hadn't done something stupid. It flickered black for a few seconds before a large red lock appeared in the center of the screen.

Daisy stared at it for second and squirmed a bit before grumbling. "What the hell…" She tapped the space bar once and was rewarded with a soft ping. The lock faded and she held her breath. A second later the SHIELD logo appeared. It faded before she could touch a key and a robotic voice told her the device had been locked for the protection of confidential agency information.

The girl fell back on the mattress and slapped her hands over her eyes. She reached with one hand and pulled a pillow over her face then screamed as loud as she could into it before letting her arms drop to her sides. She ripped the pillow away and tossed it across the room, letting out a disgusted huff and sat up.

"Damn you, Chuck." She growled. "This just can't be easy can it?" She stared at the screen for a moment before rubbing her palms together and smiling. "Well, Charles you have met your match because whatever the hell you did is not keeping me from getting home."

She dropped a finger to one key and jumped back when the laptop buzzed with a strong vibration. The screen turned black and Daisy pulled her hands away. Large red letters filled the screen giving the same message repeatedly.

DEVICE HAS BEEN LOCKED, FURTHER TAMPERING WILL CAUSE IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE

"DAMN IT, CHUCK. WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?" Daisy bellowed at the laptop, resisting the urge to have it join the pillow across the room.

Instead she stood and gently placed it on the floor then fell face first onto the bed. Daisy kicked her feet and pounded her fists in quiet frustration and did something she hadn't done in a very long time…she cried.

Out of frustration

Out of anger

Out of fear

¹I will tell her how much I love her. I promise.

²Father, forgive me. I was angry with the woman who accused me of harming


	49. 49 It's Been so Hard to Figure Out

**Chapter 49**

 **It's Been So Hard to Figure Out**

Talking with her father about her mother was generally an exercise in futility and this time was no different. The only real difference was the strange twinkle in William's eye and Melinda seriously believed he knew something she did not. She understood Fox's apprehension regarding her change in disposition. She was panicked when she left the house this morning and almost totally relaxed when she returned. She saw that change instantly come over her father's expression as he approached Daisy. It started as a bizarre look when he noticed the girl and slowly relaxed as he made his way across the parlor to face her. What did he see in the young woman that she had missed? This was her child. She always thought she knew everything about that little girl, her Skye, yet she wasn't totally convinced until the girl physically proved it _twice_. Her father seemed convinced without so much as a question and certainly without any doubt. She saw it in his eyes and he saw it in the girl's. He said something to Daisy about eyes not changing. Why hadn't _she_ seen that in her daughter?

Maybe it was her father's calm empathetic temperament, one she did not share. No Melinda Quaiolian May was cut from the same cloth as her mother…tough, firm, no nonsense. She ached with the fact that that now kept her from her only child. She ached more with the fact that her mother would arrive in less than six hours. Hopefully, Daisy could reverse all of this insanity by then and she'd have nothing to explain. Nothing? Right, she wouldn't have to explain where the child had been and why the young woman who saved her had disappeared.

Melinda excused herself from the conversation in the kitchen with the intent to try to rest and have enough energy to deal with Lian when she finally arrived. Her intent was to march into her room and just collapse on the bed but a soft, familiar sound stopped her in front of Skye's bedroom door.

She stood staring at it, aching with the need to open it and find her little girl curled up with that floppy dog in blissful slumber. But that was not the sound of restful sleep no matter who was on the other side. Melinda stepped forward and rested her hand on the knob, let go and took one half step before the sound bid her back. She gave two soft knocks and pushed the door open just enough to poke her head into the dark room.

"Daisy?" Melinda expected to find the girl bent over the laptop frantically typing the solution to this mess. Perhaps she had mistaken the girl's frustration or intense work as the sounds of soft crying. Instead she found the girl curled into a ball…hugging that little dog.

The little sniffles were cut short. Daisy froze as soon as she heard the knock. Melinda stepped all the way into the room and eased the door shut. She made her way across the room and sat on the bed next to the girl. Daisy remained silent and still, holding her breath to prevent another escaping sob. Old habits die hard and the girl was adept at covering her fears and pain so the sisters that patrolled the halls of St. Agnes throughout the night would not pull her up to scold her for waking the others. She did not expect comfort then and certainly not now.

Melinda smiled sadly as she placed a hand on the girl's arm and patted softly. "I know you're awake, baobei." She waited and would wait as long as it took. "I'm here. Maybe you don't need me, but I… I need you. I need you to know I'm here for you." She waited, listening to the hum of silence. "Talk to me, Daisy…please?" She asked quietly, hoping the girl would open up to her.

Daisy expelled a shaky breath and rolled over to face her cyber mother. She rubbed the tears from her eyes with the heel of one hand. "I'm sorry…I…didn't…" She sat up and stared at her fingers fiddling with the stuffed dog's ears, rather than look the woman in the eye. She failed…screwed up…made things worse. The feeling that she didn't even fit in her own family with her own parents was crushing.

Melinda pulled a tissue from the box on the nightstand and held it out to the girl. She shook her head. "You don't have to apologize. It's been a rough day for all of us, probably worse for you." She tried not to think about what her Skye might be going through.

Daisy wiped her eyes again and smiled when Melinda passed her another. She wiped her sniffle and crumpled the tissues in her palm. "I…I just…" Melinda took her hand and squeezed it. The smile she offered erased almost every rough patch they bumped over throughout the day. Base/Agent Melinda was gone and mommy-Melinda had returned.

The girl nodded toward the laptop. "I just wanted to fix everything. I wanted it to be all right but I just made everything all wrong and now…"

Melinda rose and then sat closer to her daughter, pulling the girl into a one armed hug. Daisy melted into it, needing that comfort much more than she realized. "Maybe you should start from the beginning and tell me everything." Spoke close to the girl's ear.

Daisy looked up with only her eyes and laughed around a sob, then quickly wiped her eyes with the bunched up tissue. "If I do that you might just carry through with that over the knee threat."

Melinda wrapped both arms around the girl and sniggered softly. She rocked back and forth and kissed Daisy's head. "Oh, it wouldn't be the first time my little girl needed an out for her guilty conscience." She continued to rock and felt Daisy's soft chuckle against her chest. "Whatever it is, baobei, we will face it together." She kissed the girl again, "you," again, "me," again, "and daddy, all of us together. Just like always."

Daisy squeezed her eyes closed tightly, feeling the tears stream over her cheeks. She tried to catch them with her crumbling tissue, sniffled a few times, then pouted as the tissue turned to crumbs in her hand. She scrunched it together and wiped her eyes with the back of her arm. Melinda was soft and warm just like she wanted her May to be, but knew it was not part of that woman's character. She wondered if things would have been different, if Cal hadn't stolen her away from her parents. Would May be this relaxed, comforting woman who sat gently rocking her and patiently waiting for her to start some sort of explanation for this fiasco? She wondered if May really was this person way down under all that badass Mayism. She wondered if it was still there after losing her infant…after Bahrain…after being turned into a traitor robot who almost took her life in another cyberverse. In the end, May saved her, but she knew the woman had the same memories of that torture that she did even though she hid it under all that stoicism that was May.

"This is all my fault." Daisy sighed into May's embrace.

Melinda shook her head. "I don't think even you could have done all this on your own. Not even you could cause a mess like this."

Daisy laughed, "if you only knew how good I am at stuff like this."

Melinda hugged her tighter. "I have some idea." She smiled. "Your daddy always tells me, where angels go trouble follows."

"Angel," Daisy snorted. "I have _never_ been an angel."

"Oh, your daddy will never see you as anything else. Do you know he actually wanted to name you that?" Melinda sighed.

Daisy let out a sputtery laugh. "Sr. Daniel would turn in her rosary."

"What?" Melinda did not understand the reference.

"I just wanted to fix everything." Daisy shrugged, changing the subject. "In my wor…in the future, I really screwed up." She huffed. "More than once, in fact I messed up more times than you can count."

"We all make mistakes, baobei." Melinda reminded her as the girl slid to rest her head in her mother's lap.

"Not as much as I do." Daisy sighed into Ling-a-ling as she hugged the little dog closer to her face. "I thought I could just get here, grab that computer, click a few keys and," she snapped her fingers once. "We'd all be fine again. They don't even know I'm…well, I'm sure they know by now." She let out a long breath. "I guess I'm lucky they can't come after me."

"Because of Skye," Melinda hoped.

"Yeah," Daisy paused for a moment, seeming far away in thought. "She's with them, safe and sound. I don't know how I know that but I do." She turned and looked up into Melinda's worry. "She's okay, really. They'll take good care of her. Fitz is probably working nonstop on his end to straighten out this mess." She assured her.

"Fitz?" Melinda asked. "Is that a name?"

Daisy nodded. "He's a genius, designed all of this." She waved one arm in a half circle before them.

"This?" Melinda sounded confused.

Daisy realized she'd said too much. "This...whole…t-time travel thing. He made it possible for us to be here…ah, me to be with you, but," she let out a sad sigh, "not like this."

"Switching places," Melinda finished for her.

The girl nodded again. "I was supposed to observe and remember."

"And just what did you need to remember? What could you have forgotten?" Melinda smiled at the absurdity of her child's statement.

Daisy snuggled closer. "This, mostly, just having you here…with me…like this."

Melinda thought for a moment, turning that statement around in her mind. Sitting here with this girl in her lap, listening to her speak she had no doubt this was her child, but there was something she was not saying. "Daisy, what aren't you telling me?"

"Chuck did something to the computer." Daisy thought quickly, realizing again she had relaxed a little too much with her perfect mother. She'd said enough to make Mom-linda suspicious. "I can't turn it on without losing everything. He put some kind of SHIELD nanny guard on it. One wrong click and," the girl made an exploding sound. "Gave over." She dropped her arm to the mattress and blew out a frustrated breath.

Melinda drew a breath and held it for a second as she gently stroked her daughter's soft hair. A little more than twelve hours ago she had been here, right here in this room sliding her little girl's leg back under the blankets, tucking Ling-a-ling next to her and then kissing her head before leaving for work. Twelve hours, only twelve hours and that little girl was an adult and she had missed all of those years in between. She and Phil had talked long into the night more than once about puberty and the teen age years, sometimes with dread and sometimes with laughter and still others in serious contemplation but never had they thought they would simply miss probably the most difficult years of Skye's life. From what Daisy had said something must have happened during that time. Why would Daisy need to remember her mother's love and understanding, her embrace and snuggles? Why would she need to come here to make sure she and Phil remembered they loved each other? What horrible thing could have torn them apart?

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Daisy asked without turning toward Melinda.

"Skye is with both of us, isn't she? We're both there with her?" Suddenly Melinda thought maybe she or Phil or both of them had not returned from a mission.

Daisy smiled, again without turning. "I was talking about Chuck."

"And I'm not," Melinda remarked in a scolding tone. "Tell me, are we okay, both of us. I mean all in one piece?"

Daisy scrunched up her face. "Of course, considering everything, yeah we're all still in one piece. Wish I could say the same about….HEY!" The girl jumped with the smack Melinda laid on her backside. She sat up quickly and glared at the woman, reaching back to rub off the sting. "What the hell? What was that for?"

Without warning Melinda yanked her forward and popped two more stingers right on target. "For attitude and the language I warned you about." She snarled as she released the girl.

Daisy sat again and pushed herself back and away to avoid another attack. She started to speak then snapped her mouth shut and took quick deep breaths.

Melinda raised her finger to the girl's face. "You are not telling me something, Daisy and I'm getting a little tired of it." Again Daisy started to speak but was stopped by that finger. "And I do not want to hear the word classified." Daisy's mouth snapped shut a second time.

"Things just happened differently where I live," she whispered so softly Melinda barely heard.

Melinda reached and pulled the girl back into a tight embrace. "It doesn't matter, baobei. You can tell me anything. There's nothing you could have or will have done that will change the way I love you."

"You love Skye." Daisy sniffled. " _She's_ your daughter, your little girl. _She's_ the one you want and need, not me."

Melinda held her tighter. "No matter what you call yourself, I love you. You, Daisy, my child even though you're full grown smartass and have more attitude than I care to deal with right now. I'm sorry I pushed you too far."

Daisy shook her head and sniffed again. "No, it isn't you it's that damn Chuck." She quickly threw a hand back to cover her target.

Melinda chuckled. "We'll let that one go, Chuck deserves a few colorful adjectives and I can think of a few more we'll leave unsaid for now."

Daisy smiled against Melinda's chest. "Chuck and his computer lock…I can't do anything about it or fix it." She let out a long breath. "I am so sorry."

Kissing the top of her daughter's head again, Melinda sighed. "Right now, I think you need to rest. It's been a long hard day. Tomorrow you and I will see Chuck and after I let him know exactly what I feel about him borrowing my laptop, we'll make sure he fixes whatever he's done."

Daisy shook her head. "I don't think I can sleep. I can't stop thinking about how screwed up this whole thing has gotten.

"Mmm, hmm," Melinda hummed as she let the girl settle her head back on her lap. She ran her hand softly through Daisy's hair and hummed then sang a familiar lullaby. The Skye part of Daisy remembered it and listened to the Mandarin words about mother and how much she loved her child.

A few minutes later Melinda slipped the girl onto the pillows, pulled the blanket over her and kissed her forehead before turning off the small lamp on the nightstand. She walked the short distance to the door and turned back to see Daisy curl into a tight ball with that scruffy dog in her arms.

xx

Chuck cursed the medical team and every test they'd put him through for the last six hours. He'd been ordered to start a strict diet after failing not one but two stressful tests. Hell, he sat behind a desk all day tapping computer keys and making sure everyone else's computer worked the way it was supposed to work. He really did not need to be one of those fit six pack abs agents that traveled the world of field work. Slamming the reports down on the desk in the med lab he tapped his foot on the floor and his finger on the desk waiting for the receptionist to stamp and sign them before he could leave. He probably just imagined she was drawing out the time but it seemed like an hour before she had him sign the release and stamped the form. She handed it back to him with the sweetest smile she could plaster on her not so happy face.

The man practically ran to the locker room, intending to grab his jacket and that damn laptop. He'd lock it in his desk and get to it first thing in the morning. He'd made sure to load a protective lock on it before left it, just like protocol demanded. Making his way along the row of grey metal cabinets he tripped over a wad of material on the floor. Chuck cursed whoever the slob was that dropped clothing on the floor then reached down to grab it intending to stick it somewhere it would never be found. He shook it out and…it looked very familiar. He shook it again and stuck a hand in one pocket pulling out a pack of spearmint gum and a Spiderman Pez dispenser. Damn! It was his jacket…the one he wrapped around that laptop and locked away early this afternoon. He took the last few steps to the locker realizing before he got there it was opened…and empty.

What the hell was on that laptop?

xx

Fitz stood staring at the computer screens, watching the concentric rows of green ones and zeros wind their way up and down in perpetual motion. He roughly massaged the thumb of one hand into the palm of the other, chewing his bottom lip as he waited for some sign that Daisy had found success. He wasn't quite sure what that sign would be but he did not expect the flicker on all of his screens and the black screen emblazoned with the red SHIELD emblem. He'd never seen it before, anywhere and was sure it was not something he'd created on any level. Fitz's first instinct was to go to the keyboard and attempt to get past this new development. Dropping into his chair he held his fingers over the home keys and debated his first move.

He gently tapped the spacebar. The emblem disappeared in one crackling dissolve effect before the system issued a loud verbal warning that to proceed would cause irreparable damage to the device. Fitz ran a hand through his hair and let out a puffy breath. What the hell was Daisy doing? Better yet, what had she done to cause this? Then again, maybe it wasn't her. Maybe something else was effecting everything.

Fitz stood and paced across the room, turned and paced back, again massaging his palm. He was one hundred percent sure that none of the original framework data was in his new program. He revised and revamped everything, filtering out everything that was any part of Radcliffe's design and anything that remotely referred to the being that was AIDA. He paced back and thought again….

What if, what if someone else had gotten into the system? What if someone else injected that monster's madness into what he had planned to be a way for Coulson and May and Daisy, because he needed, no wanted to make up so much to her, a way for them to have that life that had been stolen from them?

Pacing back and forth, Fitz tried to push away the thoughts that haunted his memories. AIDA had turned him into something he hated. She'd injected his abusive, overbearing father into his life and taken away his light, Jemma. She'd killed Jemma, snuffed her out as if she had been nothing when to him she was everything. All of that turned him into a monster himself, a monster known simply as the Doctor. But it wasn't real, but it was.

He remembered every second of his Framework life and every evil, heartless deed he'd committed. He lay awake nights pushing those false, ( _were they false?_ ), memories away, avoiding the nightmares they wrought. What if somehow, that horrific part of him took over for just a moment and…

"No," Fitz whispered. "NO!" He shouted, clenching his fists at his sides. "No," he said again. It couldn't happen, he wouldn't let it. The Doctor only existed at AIDA's evil creation. He did not exist except in that horrid place that no longer existed. He had destroyed it himself, pulled the plugs and shredded every bit of every bit that existed. Daisy had helped. They worked for hours scrubbing the systems clean of it. It was gone, completely gone.

Whatever was happening now had nothing to do with those nightmares.

"Fitz?" Jemma's gentle voice brought him from his thoughts. He turned to her and forced a smile. "What is it?" She asked as she set a small tray on the nearest table. Jemma could not be fooled. She knew every expression, every tick and tock of her soulmate. "Fitz?" She questioned again, moving closer to him then following his line of sight to black computer screens. With a small gasp, Jemma threw a hand over her mouth.

Fitz looked at her for a moment then to the screens and back. "No, no," he assured her, realizing she thought everything had crashed. "No, it's fine…well as fine as possible at the moment. The system is still running it's just…well it's just…" He searched for the right way to explain when he wasn't even sure what the hell the system was doing. "It's not allowing me to do a bloody thing." He let out a frustrated breath.

"It?" Jemma whispered. "It isn't allowing you? It?"

The young man nodded. "Apparently whatever Daisy is doing in there has locked me out of the system. All I can do now is wait until she…does whatever it is she's doing." He let out a long breath and wrapped his arms around his middle.

Jemma wanted to ask if he was sure or at least ask how he knew all was fine wherever Daisy was right now, but Fitz seemed convinced while at the same time so very fragile. She merely nodded then watched as he walked to the keyboard and pointed to a small red flickering light at the bottom of the screen. He'd shown her that before, had her keep an eye on it while he left the room for necessity's sake. It was the light that told him the program was running without problems. Jemma couldn't help it, she laughed. The light meant no problems and all they'd had for days was problems that seem to beget even bigger problems.

"Have you seen Skye today?" Fitz asked. He seemed concerned.

"She's with May and Coulson. I haven't seen any of them." She answered him honestly. She hadn't seen the little girl since Coulson carried her out in tears last night. She'd been so busy with Fitz she hadn't really thought about Skye and since May hadn't come looking for her it would seem all was well with the little girl.

Fitz stared at the empty screens. "I think it would be a wise idea to check on her, just to be certain."

Jemma nodded. It was probably in everyone's best interest to make sure the little girl was safe and sound, but she was also sure if even the slightest thing was not right there would have been a claxon alert.

"I will definitely check on all of them, but first I think you need to have a bite to eat. I don't even remember the last time I saw you eat anything." He was already pulling away, shaking his head. "Please, Fitz, I've only brought tea and a few biscuits. It's very light. Please sit and share with me."

She stood waiting for his answer, staring at his back as the tension slowly drained and he turned smiling at her. Moving to the table, he pulled out a chair and held a hand to her indicating she should sit. Once she did, he sat as well, lifted the small tea pot and poured the hot liquid into both cups. He carefully added a dollop of honey to his cup and waited for her to do the same then lifted his cup in a mock toast and took a sip. Jemma Simmons was his heart. She always had been and in this world she was here, warm and gentle, sitting across the table from him. She wasn't aware of it, but she was his best weapon against the dark evil that threatened his every breath. He would have to tell her, tell her about the nightmares and the fear…but not today…not until Daisy was safe and Skye was back where she would be just as safe.

xx

Coulson woke alone in the bed he'd shared with his partner and their daughter. He blinked a few times then rose and made his way to the Common room knowing he'd find them there. Where else would they go at a little past seven in the morning.

"Daddy!" Skye squeaked as he entered the large room. She hurried across the floor and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Coulson hugged her back, leaning down to place a kiss on her head. "Morning, sweet pickle," his voice smiled but he threw a wary eye at May. He'd heard enough of their conversation to be concerned.

Skye laughed into his stomach. "I'm not a pickle." She responded, happy that this daddy remembered the silly banter they always shared.

"Whose turn is it to make breakfast?" Coulson teased as he pulled the little girl next to him and walked across the room with his arm around her shoulder.

"Can you make breakfast here?" Skye wondered as she stopped at the table and giggled as Coulson greeted May with a quick peck on the cheek.

"Oh we can dig up something," he smiled back at the girl.

"You don't have to cook cereal." Skye reminded him. "I like that marshmallow moons and stars kind."

May let out a soft huff. "Humph, a bowl of sugar to start the day." She shook her head.

Skye giggled again. "That's what my mom…you always say."

Coulson had pulled open the refrigerator. "Hmmm, we've got eggs and," he shuffled a few things around. "Cheese and yes, bacon." He turned with the items in both hands. "How's an omelet sound?"

Skye nodded as May rolled her eyes.

"Okay, May can man the toaster and I will create!" He finished in a silly French accent that caused both of them to groan.

"What about me?" Skye tilted her head to one side, hoping to help. "What can I do?"

May threw him a quick glance as she turned to pull the toaster from its place on the counter. He answered with the same look.

"How about if you make your way down stairs and convince our two scientists to join us? There is plenty to go around and I really think they might need a break." Coulson smiled at her as he set his load on the table top.

Skye thought for a moment. It was a long walk to that computer room and they'd never let her go all alone before. She really would rather help with breakfast but it was pretty clear they needed to talk without her hearing the conversation. She let out a long breath and formed a little pout. No, she really didn't want to fetch Fitz and Dr. Simmons but there wasn't really much choice.

"I'd rather help you." Well, she had to at least try.

"Bet they're hungry as you are," Coulson urged.

"I'm not really that hungry." Skye hedged.

May stepped behind the girl and escorted her to the door. "The exercise will help build an appetite." She smiled as the sent the girl into the hall with a gentle swat.

Skye let out a soft huff and slouched down the hall. She considered trying to eavesdrop but was not so eager to find out if her future mom's discipline was a match for her mommy's. Anyway it was probably just boring adult stuff anyway. She hopped over a bunch of rocks then stopped and picked up a rather chalky looking one. Holding it in hand for a moment she stared at the blackened wall then looked over her shoulder in the direction she had just come. She smiled a guilty smile, shrugged her shoulder and moved closer to it. A few seconds later she stepped back and gave a satisfied nod. She'd made her mark and she liked it. Tossing the rock back into the pile on the floor she turned and headed for the computer room.

'SKYE WAS HERE!' was written in giant letters scrawled across the wall next to a giant 'X'.

xx

Skye was almost halfway to the lab when she slowed her steps. "Daisy?" She whispered. The feeling was familiar, that funny buzz right before she knew her friend was close. She stopped and turned in a complete circle expecting to find the woman standing there smiling at her. But the hall was empty, like it usually was. But the feeling was still there. "Daisy, are you here?" Skye asked the silence. She cocked her head and listened but there was nothing to hear but the funny electric sound this place always made.

"I'm okay, Daisy." She decided she'd talk to her big self, just in case. "You are too? That's good. Mommy and Daddy are old here Daisy and they're a little different, but they love us a lot. Fitz can't do anything until you fix the laptop." The little girl stopped as her eyes widened and her brows shot up. "You can't fix it? That's impossible. I'll tell him. I'm going there now." Skye nodded twice and picked up her pace, hurrying to relay the message to Fitz, positive that Daisy had just somehow thought to her right through time.

xx

"She's remembering," May commented as soon as she was sure the girl was out of ear shot.

Coulson looked at the door where the little girl had stood a few seconds before. "We'll be here for her, May."

"We can't begin to explain," May reminded him.

Coulson cracked eggs into a large bowl. "It could have been a fluke. Maybe she was just tired or it was an after effect of getting thrown into another reality."

"Reality," May huffed, grabbing the egg shells and tossing them into the trash. "I'm not even sure what that is anymore."

"I think it's just what we're dealing with at any specific time." He smiled as he beat the eggs. "The lines have gotten pretty blurry lately."

"And if they can't fix this?" May exhaled.

"Fitz and Daisy?" Coulson pishawed. " I have no doubt."

"If they don't we…I…" May hesitated. "There's things Daisy and I…"

Coulson set down the whisk and moved to his partner placing his hand over hers. "She'll be back May," he smiled. "And you can read her the riot act for pulling this dumb-ass stunt again." He squeezed her hand a little.

"That too," May agreed.

xx

Skye slid around the open door into the computer room announcing herself with a simple "Hi!"

Simmons and Fitz looked toward the door, setting down their cups as the girl half walked/half skipped to the table. "Good morning, Skye," Jemma smiled. "I see you're doing well this morning."

"Yep," the little girl answered as she checked out the small tray on the table. "I hope you guys didn't eat because daddy wants you to come to the…room upstairs for breakfast. He's making omelets."

Fitz picked up his cup and took the last sip then placed it back in the saucer. "I don't think that would be wise. I need to stay close in case Daisy gets that laptop working."

Shaking her head as she took the shortbread cookie Jemma offered, Skye replied. "She won't. Some guy put a lock on it and she has to wait until he takes it off." She bit into the cookie and continued around a mouthful. "It's night there so everybody's sleeping. You don't have to worry for a while" She smiled at the man who looked at her in disbelief. Skye shrugged. "I think Daisy thinked," she shook her head, "thought to me but I don't know how. Maybe cuz she's sleeping and I can just hear her thinking. I mean, if you can think in your sleep." She shrugged again.

Fitz and Simmons exchanged confused looks as Skye moved to the black computer screens. She pointed to them and turned back to Fitz-Simmons. "The laptop is all black too, just like this but it isn't broken so you don't have to worry. Come on," the girl waved a hand toward the door. "Breakfast will be ready when we get back."

Jemma stood up and approached the girl laying a hand on her forehead. "Skye are you feeling alright?"

The girl pushed the doctor's hand away gently. "I'm not sick." She smiled then turned very serious. "And I don't have a fever so you don't need to check."

"Perhaps you were dreaming, sweet heart." Jemma smiled. Fitz nodded in agreement.

"You don't dream when you're awake." Skye laughed. She'd just had this conversation. "Daisy can think to me and I can think to her. We do it all the time. I didn't know it could work when we were so far apart but I guess it does…sometimes."

"Is this the first time this has happened?" Fitz stood and approached the child.

"No," Skye replied watching as he walked around her and stood between her and the computers. "Before we talked really we used to think to each other. We can still do it, but talking's better." She explained.

"Can you think to her? Can you do it now?" Fitz asked, hoping to get some answers.

Skye scrunched up her face and stared at the man for a moment before shaking her head. "Not now, she's sleeping. I think she didn't know she was doing it and she's better at it than me." She turned up one side of her mouth. "Maybe when she wakes up I can try but I don't think time works the same here and there."

Fitz shook his head. He'd never really synched the time in his program. It really didn't matter. And what if this little girl was just imagining all of this…

And what if she wasn't?


	50. Chapter 50 As Long as There's You

**Chapter 50**

 **As Long as There's You**

Daisy woke, sitting up with a gasp. It took a moment for her brain to adjust and realize where she was…not a dormitory or a van, not even a bunk but a bedroom in a house. She took short rapid breaths and shook off the odd feeling. She'd been dreaming. She had to be because it was too weird even for this already way too weird situation.

The girl lay back on the pillow and watched the lights of passing cars travel across the room. Somehow it helped to calm her. Dreams weren't something Daisy had very often. Nightmares were more her speed. She was used to waking in a cold sweat and spending a few hours avoiding sleep, fearful the scene would repeat itself. But this wasn't a nightmare it was just a really bizarre dream that seemed all too real.

Dreams were funny things all on their own, without all the added weirdness of being in some cyber lifetime in addition to being more than twice the age you were this morning. She took a deep breath and rolled to her side, hugging the little dog without even realizing it. Yeah, dreams were goofy. You were there participating in all the strange action but you couldn't really see yourself only what surrounded you. And then other times it was like you were just observing the action but you were the actor and the audience at the same time. Still other times you watched yourself in someone else's body but still thought with your own mind.

Daisy squeezed her eyes shut. These thoughts were making her head throb. She tried thinking calm thoughts, like May taught her. She thought about snow falling in the dark, lit only with a sole street lamp, quiet and calm. It was the picture she gave herself to personify calm. It was her go to place to quell the panic that sometime plagued her. She pictured herself early in the morning in the gym practicing Tai Chi with May and matching every move perfectly. She tried to feel that calm.

But the dream kept knocking on the parts of her mind she used to keep herself calm.

She'd been in a…a…classroom. Yes, there were desks and a chalkboard and she could even smell the pencils. It wasn't dark or scary just a regular classroom and she was seated at the second desk in the third row but here were no other children…. Children? Yes, she was a child in this dream, a child seated at her desk in an empty classroom. She couldn't really see herself. It was that kind of dream, but she knew she was a kid. She could just feel it. In this particularly idiotical dream she was waiting for something or someone and that _damn_ laptop was on the teacher's desk. She could see it opened, the white rainbow maned unicorn upside down.

The door clicked just a tiny click and a teacher walked into the room. She wasn't threatening or scary and she smiled at Daisy before she stopped and looked at the computer. "I'm glad you're here, Daisy." The woman grinned as she set down a large satchel and nodded at the laptop. "We have a lot of work to do today."

In the dream Daisy swallowed hard. "I can't fix it. It will break more." She tried to explain to the woman.

"Fitz has been trying, too." The woman shook her head. "He's waiting for you to do your part."

"But I can't," dream Daisy's voice cracked. She didn't' even wonder how the teacher knew about Fitz, somehow she just knew. "Chuck did something to it. It's booby trapped." She tried to tell the teacher.

The woman continued smiling. "That's impossible, Daisy. You know you can do it."

"What if I do something wrong? I need to go home." Daisy rose from her dream desk.

"You're okay, Daisy. You'll need to stay here and work this out. I know you can do it. I'm going to talk to Fitz now. He's counting on you. We all are." The teacher smiled again as she moved toward the door. She stopped and looked back, still smiling. "Your parents are older now. We don't want to worry them." She commented before she exited and pulled the door closed behind her.

Little Daisy ran after her wrapping her fingers around the knob and pulled but the door would not budge. "No, no, don't leave me here. I don't know what else to do. I can't make any more mistakes."

And that was all, Daisy woke with a start and the dream ended.

She threw her legs over the side of the bed and gripped the mattress. Weird dreams were kinda like getting off one of those old playground merry-go-rounds, the kind kids ran around and spun until you were sure you'd throw-up for days. She shivered a bit but felt the sweat on her forehead and arms. Another weird after effect, yep hot and cold at the same time were part of it too. Daisy stood and walked across the room, wrapping her arms around herself. She considered a quick trip to the bathroom. Someone told her once that weird dreams meant you needed to pee. She always thought it was ridiculous but right now she was willing to do anything to get rid of this anxiety.

Of course taking a 'trip down the hall' would certainly alert Melinda and Daisy didn't want to wake anyone. There was a powder room in the hall downstairs but she had no robe and was certainly not dressed to go traipsing around the house, not that anyone would see her. The dream bathroom thing might be true because the more she thought about it the more she thought she might have to use the waste basket if she didn't make a decision really fast.

Throwing a fuzzy blanket, that had been draped over the rocker in the corner around herself, she quietly opened the door and slipped into the hall. All that spy stuff came in handy as she snuck down the stairs and plodded through the dark to the small bathroom door. Once out she silently slipped into the living room and folded herself onto the couch, sitting sideways in order to look out the large picture window.

The large front yard looked trim and neat even in the dark. There was one light pole across the street but it lit most of the area. Daisy wasn't sure of the time but it had to be awfully early. There were no house lights, no people and not even a car drove by in the five minutes she stared. Daisy smiled at the flowers that lined the walkway to the street and the large tree in the corner of the yard. The front porch was small but neat with a large pot of yellow daisies on either side of the steps. She almost laughed at the irony. At the same time she realized it was the house she dreamed of growing up, flowers and all. It was the kind of house that real families that love their kids lived in and she imagined herself there.

"The view is much more pleasant in the light of dawn." William's calm voice came from behind her.

Daisy turned quickly, pulling the blanket securely around her and squinted in order to make out his silhouette in the dark hallway.

"Should you sit there long enough the sun will rise and you will see for yourself." He continued speaking softly as he made his was across the room and sat on the opposite end of the sofa.

Daisy smiled and pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms and the fuzzy blanket around them. "I couldn't sleep." She told him in the same calm tone.

"Mmmmm," William nodded his head. "Sometimes dreams are more disturbing than nightmares. They try to tell us things but never in straight forward means."

Daisy dropped her chin to her knees to prevent her mouth from dropping open instead. How did this guy know? Who was he? What agency did he… Hell, May told her once that SHIELD did some investigating people with telepathic abilities but considered it a dead end. Maybe she was protecting her own father! Maybe William was…. Holy shit Sherlock! Inhuman DNA had to run in families, carried dormant through generations, sometimes set off by puberty or trauma or illness or that damn Kree hocus pocus so she had to get it from somewhere. Maybe William May was the carrier of that little kink in the cellular structure. Hell, it could skip generations.

In reality, Daisy had never met William but she intended to do just that as soon as…well, as soon as it was inhumanly possible.

The man smiled at her and drew a slow breath. "There is no need to give in to your fears, sūnnǚ."

"Granddaughter," Daisy whispered softly.

William chuckled softly. "Of course, granddaughter, you have your mother's eyes and your grandmother's sass."

Now Daisy laughed. _That's_ where she got it. She lifted her head and stared at him in the soft moonlight that shone through the large window. "How…" she began.

"So many times, sūnnǚ, you have been with my Skye and then gone. When she was just a small thing she would climb into my lap and tell me stories of Chújú." Daisy smiled at the Mandarin word for daisy. She remembered telling toddler Skye that was her name. "We planted so many daisy colors in our garden and it was her idea to keep them blooming on the porch." He smiled again. "My Mellie, she believed our little one had such a vivid imagination but I knew there had to be more. And when you came so many times it was very difficult to ignore."

"You…you knew?" Daisy was flabbergasted.

"Shall I say I suspected?" He grinned. "So many times I would hear my Skye speaking to someone and the things she would say could not be just imagination. She is a very intelligent little one but not so I would believe some of the things she would know. Then the days came when it was your eyes I looked into rather than hers. It was then I knew you were one and the same."

"And you didn't think it was…well, impossible?" Daisy couldn't believe what the man was saying. He knew when she and Skye had switched bodies.

"I have learned on many occasions that there are many things we deem impossible that happen every day. I have lived a long life and in that time I have had many such experiences." He nodded then smiled again. "Plus my wife and my daughter have worked in such situations for many years."

"What exactly did you do Grandfather?" Daisy used the term without even thinking. He was part of her and she of him.

"I have done many things, sūnnǚ. I have had a long lifetime to do so. I studied to be an engineer. I had dreams of building great bridges and adding to the infrastructure of this great country but I was tempted by an offer from the Strategic Scientific Reserve. They were looking for young talent and I had so many ideas."

"SSR," Daisy mused. "You worked with the SSR?"

William nodded, "among others."

"You knew Pegg…"

The elderly man shook his head. "I knew of her, but never had the chance to meet. I did however spend many hours cataloguing the collection of articles she and her team brought to the agency to contain. The Nazi regime continued covertly for many years changing its name and colors as necessary."

"Hydra," she whispered.

"I had hoped they would be defeated by the time my granddaughter had grown." William sighed.

"There's always someone to take their place." Daisy sighed as well.

William smiled again. "And yet, here you are."

"Yeah," Daisy frowned. "Here I am, but _here_ is where I really shouldn't be. Skye should be here."

"Isn't she?" William smiled again. "Who is this young woman that calls herself Daisy? Is she not still my Skye?"

Daisy thought about that for a moment. She wished she _was_ Skye, the Skye William referred to instead of the Skye that lived in a dirty van for almost two years before Coulson threw a stinky black sack over her head and dragged her to the Bus. She shrugged her shoulders because she wasn't sure how to answer him or how much he really knew.

"All this time," William smiled as he waved a hand in a wide circle. "All this time, you see yourself as two, as separate, but are you not one in the same. Is not Skye within the Daisy? And is not Daisy the Skye who has blossomed? You are she and she is you. Just as a coin has two sides, so does the woman before me. Perhaps the way home is to accept that, sūnnǚ."

Daisy lowered her gaze. "We aren't as one as you think, Yéyé." It was little more than a mumble.

William reached and gently squeezed one of the girl's feet. He smiled, nodding toward her. "I believe it is you who feels that way, sūnnǚ. The little girl that dreamed of a mother's love and to fit into the heart and home of the same is no different than the little girl who lives that life. Perhaps it is wise to allow that part of you, which stills needs healing, to live that dream."

Daisy furrowed her brow and stared at the man. How did he know? Why did he know? This was way too weird.

William chuckled at the girl's confusion. "Tomorrow you will go with your mother to her place of business, you will find the man to unlock your device and you, you Daisy, will do what is necessary to repair what was done and make your way back to your own time. When you do there is someone you must do, for me."

The girl nodded, wondering what he could possibly want. If he fell for the time machine line perhaps he wanted to go back himself. Maybe there were things he felt he needed to change. Oh, this was getting way out of hand.

"There is no reason for the worry, young one. I but need you to deliver a message." William sniggered.

Daisy nodded, by this point almost speechless.

"You must tell young Fitz that there is no presence of the xié'è de línghún¹ which he fears. It has not and will not make its way into this world." The elderly man grew serious as he spoke then patted Daisy's knee and stood. He smiled again. "You may sleep the rest of the night here if you wish but your mother will feel much better if you return to your own bed. She will look for you there in the morning." He turned and slowly walked back toward his own room at the back of the house.

Daisy's mouth dropped open. Now it was too much. Damn! He knew Fitz? He knew Fitz! How the hell did he know Fitz? She wanted to run after him, to shake every secret out of him to find out who the hell he really was but she was shocked still.

William turned when he reached the archway that lead to the kitchen. He smiled at the young woman whose eyes had adjusted to the darkness. "Did you really think he would send you here without some protection, wǒ kě'ài de háizi²? Did you think he would put any of you in danger a second time?" With her mouth still hanging open, Daisy nodded then shook her head very slowly.

The elderly man smiled again. "Good night, sūnnǚ." He turned and walked into the darkness as Daisy stared.

"Good night," she whispered. "Good night? Good night!?" she yelled in a hoarse whisper. She smacked her palm against her forehead then let it drop to her side. She let out a huff and stuck her legs out straight across the large sofa. "What_the_hell? He drops a bombshell like that on me and then says _good night?_ Good night? What…"

Dais sat in the dark staring at the last spot William had stood. Was everything he told her true? Was he really May's father here? Did Fitz even know May's father? Did May force him to stick grandpa guard in the program, just in case? Did Fitz just stick him here to make sure….make sure what? Sleep? How the hell was she going to sleep now?

Oh, Fitz we have so very much to talk about when I get back.

xx

Convincing the two scientists to join her family for breakfast was exhausting and in the end both gave their regrets. Although saying no to Skye was difficult, Fitz felt he could not leave his computer screens and Jemma refused to leave Fitz.

Skye shrugged her shoulders as she walked to the door then turned and shook a finger at both. "I'll tell them what you said but don't be surprised if my mom comes down here to get you herself." She warned before turning and leaving them alone.

Jemma let out a small laugh. There was a time when the threat of May coming after them would have sent the science twins scurrying to comply with her order. Things had changed a great deal and so far they'd had little time to deal with any of it. It just seemed that they were hit with one thing right after the other with no time to take a breath in between. Jemma knew that was not healthy physically as well as mentally. They'd all been mentally warped for longer than anyone should have to bear.

May was actually the least thing Jemma Simmons feared these days. She was sure Fitz felt the same.

But she smiled as Fitz poured himself another cup of tea and nibbled on a second biscuit. To Jemma that was a great success. He seemed more relaxed than he had been earlier, perhaps because of Skye's short visit. Seeing her animated and visibly healthy was good for him. She knew he worried, worried that she might just blip out of existence. She had the same worry. What would that mean for Daisy? It seemed to be a moot point because Skye was…well for lack of a better term, she was normal.

Whatever than meant.

xx

Skye walked slowly back toward the com room. It took a while to make a perfect omelet and mommy and daddy were talking so she didn't need to hurry. She wandered down the blackened hallways and wondered what this place might have looked like before it was all exploded. Whatever it was it was pretty big with lots of halls and stairs and doors and rooms. She pushed a not too destroyed door open and walked into what had to be a locker room. It looked a lot like the one at the gym where she and mommy went to swim in the winter when it was way too cold to swim outdoors.

There was one of those skinny little benches where you sat to put on your shoes. It really wasn't comfortable enough to do anything else. She moved to the lockers and rubbed her thumb along the name plate on one, cleaning off the soot that rested there. 'Rodriguez' it said. She tugged at the handle but the small door was bent too much for it to open. The next few lockers were too crushed to even see the name plates but as she made her way to the end the lockers were in much better shape. The next locker she rubbed clean read 'Davis' and the one next to it was 'Prince', both opened but were empty. She walked the rest of the way with her finger running along the lockers wiping off soot as she went and reading the many names imagining who these people might have been.

She stopped at the name on the second to last locker. 'Johnson', it was Daisy's locker. It had to be. A shiver ran over the little girl's fame. Part of her wanted to pull it open but part told her it probably wasn't a good idea.

 _'You might not like what you find.'_ Her daddy's voice said in her head.

She knew she didn't just think it because it sounded just like when Daisy thinked to her.

"It can't be worse than I imagined." Skye whispered without thinking as she rested her hand on the handle.

Maybe it would be stuck like some of the others, or empty like most of them, but maybe…just maybe… Skye looked over her shoulder, not that she expected anyone to be there but just because it seemed like something you should do before opening a locker that wasn't but somehow was yours. She lifted the latch and felt it click. Holding her breath she gave a gentle tug then frowned when the door did not release. She dropped the latch, took a breath, lifted it again and pulled just a tiny bit harder. The door opened a hair and she drew another quick breath then held it as she inched the door open wide enough to peek inside.

Well, it wasn't empty but there wasn't much. Some kind of holster hung on one side, but it held no gun. Skye frowned. Not that she wanted to handle a weapon, but it would be great just to touch the one Daisy used when she did whatever it was she did. On the other hook was a grey t-shirt, the kind she wore for gym at school only this one had the sleeves cut right off. She pulled it out and held it in front of her. It looked kinda big to be Daisy's and it said S.H.I.E.L.D. ACADEMY in big black letters. There was some kind of eagle on it too. Skye kind of recognized it, but couldn't remember from where. The shirt didn't really smell so great so she put it back with a tongue sticking out grimace. Maybe Daisy kept all the good stuff in her room but she never got a chance to explore there because that May-mommy didn't leave her alone very much and the first time she was here she was way too scared to do anything. It wouldn't really be hard to find Daisy's room cuz in her head she knew where it was only they'd probably come looking for her before she got there.

Skye stood on her tiptoes to peer onto the small shelf at the top of the locker. At first she thought it was empty as well but there was some kind of box way in the back. Running her hand along it as she tried to reach she found something else, a picture. It was Daisy and she was smiling like she was really happy. There was a man in the picture too. He had his arm around her shoulders and at first she thought it was the giant man everyone called Mack but his eyes were different and his big smile was different. He had a mustache and well, he didn't look like a giant. He made her want to smile. She took a step back and held the picture, just staring at it.

'Hey, girl…' she heard the voice she knew was his smile.

Skye swiped her finger gently over his smiling visage. "Trip…" she whispered softly as one tear ran over her cheek. Standing for a few seconds she merely looked at the photo then slipped it back where she'd found it, more determined to get whatever else was up there. If only she could reach. If only there was something to stand on, but the only thing in the room was that bench and it was bolted securely to the floor. She turned up one side of her face and stared for a moment then smiled at the base of the locker that was about six inches from the concrete floor. Just enough, she thought.

Stepping on the floor of the locker, Skye grabbed the door with one hand and reached as far as she could with the other to coax the box out far enough to snag it. It took a bit of finger wiggling but she was insistent and after a few tries was just as successful. She pulled the square brown box into the bend of her arm and hopped backward off the locker ledge, full of herself with the accomplishment.

At first she just stood and held it in her hands, admiring the shape and the wood and the eagle symbol engraved in the top. It was just like the one on the t-shirt. She shook it softly but it made no sound. Skye frowned, all that work for an empty box? But it was too heavy to be empty. Heck it wasn't a solid block. It was definitely a box. The little girl straddled the skinny bench and set the box in front of her. Eyeing the small item, she searched for a latch or place where it might open. She could see the opening around the center where it came apart and after a few minutes decided to just lift the lid like you did on a gift box.

It came away very easily and Skye was as gentle as she could be even though her hands were shaking with anticipation. The top didn't really come off all the way, it kinda opened like one of those little music boxes that had the teeny ballerina pirouetting inside. She truly expected to find one inside and waited for the music to start but it remained silent. When the box revealed its contents the little girl just sat back and stared. The inside was some kind of very soft green fabric and in the center was a shining silver bracelet. It was simple but beautiful and didn't make a sound because part of the box was a holder that kept it still. Skye rubbed one finger over it and smiled when no smudge appeared.

Again the little girl looked over her shoulder then lifted the bracelet from its perch and held it with both hands in front of her eyes. It almost sparkled even though there was no real bright light to reflect off of it. She could see the reflection of her eyes in it and jumped when it clicked opened. Skye debated on whether or not to try it on.

It wouldn't hurt to just try it, just to see how it looked. In a couple years it would be hers anyway, so she wasn't going to hurt anything or anyone. She laid one side of the bracelet on her wrist but hesitated in closing it. What if it wouldn't open again? Skye shrugged. It was made for a big person. She could just slip it over her hand, pop it back in the box and put it away before anyone even knew she had it. She smiled and clicked it around her wrist. It made a little bobbly noise, turned blue all around in a circle then clicked into place.

Smiling, Skye held out her arm and admired the fine jewelry. She wondered why Daisy kept it hidden in her locker. She dropped her arm to her side and shook it a bit, admiring the fit and the feel of it against her skin. She decided right then and there that when she got this bracelet she would never take it off or hide it. But that wouldn't be for a few more years. Skye held her wrist up in front of her and sighed. It was so pretty, but for now she'd have to leave it here. She turned her arm and scrunched up her face, then spun the bracelet around her wrist searching for the clasp to open it. She knew it opened. It was opened when she put it on but now it was definitely one solid circle. No problem, she put her opposite hand around the bracelet and attempted to slide it over her hand. That did not work because for some reason it now fit her perfectly. Without opening the item it was not coming off.

Skye let out a fluttery breath. Now what?

 _"Get dressed."_

The little girl jumped, dropped the box to the floor and turned expecting to see her mother glaring in the door of the locker room. But the space was as empty as it was when she walked into it.

 _"Stop lying!"_

Skye turned again, this time it was daddy's voice and he was angry. Could she hear them all the way from that kitchen room? She was pretty sure she had to go up one more ramp to be on that floor.

 _"It's all I have."_

"Daisy?" Skye stood, slipping one leg over the bench and turning in all directions.

 _"About us?"_ Daddy asked.

 _"About me,"_ and Daisy answered.

Skye rubbed her eyes, not really sure why she was crying. She picked up the small box from the floor and remembered daddy handing it to her…no, to Daisy. If she wanted to stay she had the same choice. She didn't care she would never stop looking… Skye pushed the box back onto the locker shelf and hurried from the room.

Daddy would know how to get this off. She knew he would.

xx

"I don't know how, but she's remembering and the longer she's here she'll remember more." May insisted.

Coulson stood at the stove watching the bacon sizzle on the small griddle. He used a long fork to move it around ensuring proper frying. He didn't want it too floppy and well, bacon could never be too crispy. He shook his head. "What could she remember, May? She's just a little girl."

"Right," May agreed, "and she doesn't understand any of this."

Coulson slid the bacon on to a folded paper towel to absorb the excess grease. "It's not like we can lock her in a room until this is all sorted." He looked up at her with a smug smile.

May shook her head. "I don't think that would help. Just being here is enough." She spread her arms taking in the space they shared. "This…all of this is enough to bring everything Daisy has ever experienced into that little girl's mind."

"That's impossible," Coulson broke a few eggs into a large bowl and began beating them. "I don't think all of those memories would fit into a ten year old."

"Exactly," May agreed. "You and I and the team will need years to come to terms with two lifetimes of memories. Can you imagine what that will do to a kid?"

Coulson stopped in his mixing and stared ahead. He knew May was right and he knew Skye would not be able to deal with everything Daisy had survived. Yet, Skye was Daisy. An adult entity living in a child's body, already holding all of those memories without knowing. That was the difference between Skye and Daisy. Skye had the life Daisy always wished for, but she also had the memories Daisy tried to hide. Daisy had all the memories and all the wishes but for some reason would not let herself enjoy the life Skye seemed to offer. Coulson sensed it when he held the little girl, comforting her, trying to make it all go away. He'd done that before. He'd held Skye, _his_ Skye, when she cried, when she let him in to the small protected world she'd created for herself. He remembered her trembling as she wrapped her arms around him before that fateful trip to Puerto Rico, when he deciphered the redacted form she had used to infiltrate SHIELD originally and the day in that dark hallway when he told her what he believed was the truth about what happened in China. He knew of only a fraction of the traumas Daisy had survived and he was sure he did not want that little girl to mentally experience any of it.

Letting the whisk drop against the side of the bowl, he turned to May and looked more helpless than she had seen him in a very long time. "I don't know how to fix this, May. We've only just found her, just realized she is truly ours and all of this…it's like some kind of loop we can't escape."

"Once Fitz gets this straightened out and our girls are back where they belong, I'm destroying that thing once and for all and then," she stopped, taking a deep breath to rein in the anger threatening to explode. "Then we are getting out of this place before it falls down around us."

Coulson smiled for the first time since their conversation began. "Daisy's been looking. She's got some prospects out near the Great Lakes. It might be worth checking out, but it's pretty old."

May snorted. "Like Peggy Carter's original home base wasn't?"

Coulson picked up the whisk and continued preparing his breakfast masterpiece. He let out a short laugh and gave a nod. "We'll keep her close," he spoke softly, "and help her understand as much as we can."

"Mommy!" Skye's voice preceded her dashing into the room, arms wrapped around her stomach. It stopped May's response as she turned toward the little girl in alarm. "It hurts, mommy, it hurts…" Skye sobbed as she bent at the waist and stumbled toward her parents who were already moving toward her.

Coulson caught her first, swooping her into his arms and hurrying to the sofa. He laid her down, visually taking in all of her, looking for any wound or reason for this sudden distress. The little girl writhed from side to side as May put a hand to her forehead but found no sign of fever.

"Help me, mommy." Skye cried, wrapping her hand around May's fingers and squeezing tightly.

May looked to Coulson from her spot kneeling on the floor next to Skye and shook her head. He moved quickly, searching for the walkie-talkie he'd been using to stay in contact with the young scientists a few floors below.

"Where does it hurt, baobei?" May asked, trying to pull Skye's arms away from her tummy. Visions of mishaps that could have befallen the child on her trip to the basement and back ran through May's head, but there was no blood, no sign of injury.

"He hurt me…he wants to kill me…he wants to hurt…to…he hates me…" Skye sobbed as she squirmed away from May's attentions. "No, no. don't touch it…I'm bleeding, mommy, please don't let me die. I don't want to die."

May again found no blood and could not imagine who Skye felt would want to hurt her. She wracked her brain for memories of the computer program life she'd shared with this little girl and could not remember anything that would cause the child to think anyone hated her enough to…to kill her? Why would a child think anyone would want to kill her?

Skye let out a strange strangled sob and fell silent, her arms slipped to her sides. May grabbed the girl, terrified that the mystery that had kept her alive here in this reality had terminated and taken her with it, but the child's soft breath fell against her neck. She gently laid the little girl back against the cushions and peeled away the oversized t-shirt around her middle. She lowered the rolled up shorts just enough to see all of Skye's stomach but found nothing but pink healthy skin. She let out a relieved breath, resting her hand on the girl's tummy.

Simmons rushed in a second later, dropping to her knees next to May and pulling open the bag she brought with her. Fitz stood in the doorway, breathing heavy from the sprint he and Jemma had made in record time. She quickly assessed the girl's vital signs finding everything normal. She and May gently turned the child and found no injuries to her back or sides. There were no bruises or abrasions to make them think she had fallen or been hit with any kind of debris.

Jemma shook her head. "I can't find a thing. She is perfectly normal." She paused for a moment then shook her head and continued, "for as abnormal as all this is."

May shook her head. "Don't tell me it's nothing Simmons, she was carrying on like she'd been stabbed, crying about the blood and someone trying to kill her." The woman tried but failed to keep the panic from her voice, covering it with anger.

"Shot her," Coulson's voice came from where he stood against the back of the couch. It was nothing more than a flat tone, as he stared at the sleeping child. His hands gripped the edge of the sofa. "Shot her," he repeated, "not stabbed, someone shot her."

Jemma once again ran her hands frantically over the child's small body looking for any entry wound. As a doctor she knew a small caliber bullet could enter a body and with no exit wound cause only internal bleeding.

May stood, alternating glares between Coulson and Simmons. "Don't be ridiculous," she growled. "There is no one here that would hurt Skye."

Coulson shook his head, "Daisy," he corrected. "You won't find anything." He spoke to Simmons who continued monitoring the little girl. "The wounds are long since healed and the man who shot her hasn't been seen for years."

"Quinn," May spat, realizing what was happening. Skye was remembering again, vividly.

"Mommy?" Skye's voice was groggy as she rubbed one eye and sat up, staring at the faces staring at her. She looked to Simmons and smiled. "You changed your mind."

May dropped to sit next to the child and pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head. "Are you alright, baobei?"

Skye hugged back and looked up at May with a hint of confusion. "I think I was wake dreaming again." She whispered close to May's ear. "I don't like it."

May nodded and pushed the little girl back to look into her eyes. Coulson moved around the couch and sat next to them as Simmons rose to her feet. Fitz let out a relieved breath and let the hand that had been driving a thumb into the other drop to his side.

May hugged the little girl closer. "Remember, Skye, these things can't hurt you. They're only memories."

Skye rubbed a hand on her tummy, remembering the hot pain that had torn through it as she skipped toward the com room. "Daisy didn't tell you how scared she was. She thought she was going to die and it was all dark and quiet and she loved all of you and didn't want to leave. She thought you would be mad cuz she did something stupid."

Coulson moved close enough to pull both Skye and May into an embrace. "We were all scared, Skye. We didn't want her to leave us."

The child turned to look into his face but refused to release her grip on May. "You did everything you could. You saved me even when you thought it wouldn't work."

"That's right," Coulson agreed. "You survived, you lived and now it's just a memory."

Skye shook her head. "Sometimes you have to talk about the scary memories to make them go away. When I fell out of the tree and broke my arm I had lots of nightmares but mommy and daddy said if I told them about it I would feel better. Maybe you should tell Daisy about that."

Coulson leaned forward and kissed the girl's temple. He looked into May's eyes and smiled. "Maybe we should."

"She doesn't tell anybody about the nightmares." Skye whispered.

Coulson looked around the room at the relieved faces and stood, brushing his hands together. "I think that's enough excitement for one morning. Still got some great omelets to serve, who's ready for breakfast?"

Skye smiled up at May who smiled back down. "Me," they said together then bumped foreheads and laughed as they stood.

Fitz was discretely attempting to make an exit but stopped when a small hand slipped into his. "You're already here," Skye smiled. "You'll probably feel better if you eat breakfast. It helps you get through the day." She remembered her grandfather telling her that on more than one occasion.

He looked to Jemma who was busy stuffing instruments back into her bag. She looked back waiting for his answer. Squeezing Skye's hand in his own, he covered it with the other and gave a quick nod. "Only if you let me help with clean up."

It was the first time Jemma had seen him smile in months.

 _¹evil soul_

 _²my sweet child_


	51. 51 There is Nothing I Can't Do

**Chapter 51**

 **There is Nothing I Can't Do**

Daisy smelled the wonderful aroma of blueberry pancakes and bacon before she blinked her eyes open. She rolled to her side tucking her hands under her cheek and smiled at the scent. She couldn't remember ever waking to such an invitation. St. Agnes breakfasts mostly consisted of oatmeal or some kind of soggy bran cereal and living in a van left little opportunity for anything other than stale bagels or dry Cheerios. At the base the kitchen area was much too far from her bunk for the smell of anything cooking to reach so she'd be more than half way there before she could smell…well usually the scent of coffee. There was rarely little time for much more, but on those occasions when things were just a little slow, Coulson would whip up some kind of marvelous sit-down-eat together breakfast. Blueberry pancakes were one of her favorites, no make that her absolute favorite.

The girl pulled the quilt that now covered her, up around her ears and slowly opened her eyes. The fuzzy blanket she'd used to wrap herself in the middle of the night now served as a smooshy pillow. She panicked for a second wondering who threw the quilt over her and when it happened. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment despite the fact she was alone at the moment.

"Don't worry. I covered you because of the temperature not because of anything you might regret." Melinda smiled as she set a steaming cup of coffee on the table in front of the girl.

Daisy sat up slowly, keeping the quilt close and brushed her tangled hair away from her face. "Thank you," she muttered sleepily.

"Bed not comfortable?" The woman asked around a sip of tea as she sat at the opposite end of the sofa.

"No, no it was great…I just…I…I had this really weird dream and I didn't want to wake anyone…so…" Daisy tried to explain as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Breakfast smells great," she tried changing the subject.

"Your father's specialty," Melinda smiled. "And he knows it's your favorite."

Daisy felt the blush again. Apparently, her little self had the same taste as she did.

Melinda patted the spot between them causing the girl to look in that direction. "I brought you a robe. Thought you'd be a little more comfortable."

Daisy fingered the soft fabric. "Thanks," she breathed as Melinda nodded toward the coffee cup. "Wasn't sure how you like it, but if you're anything like your father it would be super sweet."

Daisy sniggered. "Yeah, Co…Dad likes his sweeter more than most."

Melinda smiled into a nod. She sipped her tea. "Nightmare?" She questioned without looking at Daisy.

Shaking her head, Daisy took a small sip of her coffee and set it back on the table. "No, just a really weird dream about being in school and that da…stupid laptop."

Melinda laughed through her nose. "That damn thing has caused nothing but trouble since it got here."

"After today, I hope it won't be a problem." Daisy spoke softly.

Smiling at the girl, Melinda nodded. "We have faith in you Daisy. If you say you can fix it and put everything back where it belongs then we're sure you can."

Daisy gave a weak smile. "I hope I don't let you down."

"All you have to do it try." Melinda smiled back.

"Yeah, well that doesn't always work out so great." Daisy snorted. "Look what happened the last time I just tried to help."

"You made it here, didn't you?" Melinda asked as she sipped her tea.

Daisy nodded. "I did, but it wasn't like there was anywhere else to go."

Melinda looked at her and furrowed her brow. "Time travel's that definite."

Shrugging, Daisy shook her head. "It's complicated, I guess."

"Well, breakfast isn't, so throw on the robe," she nodded to it. "Do what you need to do and get yourself to the kitchen." She stood and started toward the hall.

Daisy watched for a moment before grabbing the garment and throwing it around her shoulders. No way was she going to miss blueberry pancakes a' la Coulson.

xx

Skye's day dragged on. She spent part of it sitting in front of that dirty window watching the people on the street below. The door she'd slipped out the last time she visited was chain locked, not that she had any intention of venturing out where people pointed guns at you and chased you just because you looked like Daisy. Of course now she didn't look at all like her adult self, but she was absolutely sure she did not want to anger that May-Mommy.

Fitz let her tinker with an old lap top that he said wasn't connected to the program whatever that meant. She played a couple games that looked a lot different than anything she'd seen on her school computers. She helped Daddy make lunch and made sure the scientists joined them. The grumpy soldier everyone called Piper showed up late in the afternoon with shorts and t-shirts that fit but the best thing was a pair of sneakers just the right size. Skye didn't even care how the woman knew but she remembered to say thank you and changed into the new clothes as fast as she could. It was probably the comfort of wearing something that fit that gave her the courage to do a little exploring on her own.

Everyone was busy with whatever it was they did around here and the boredom was just about going to make her brain explode. Nobody told her she couldn't just look around mostly they just said stay out of trouble. She heard Mommy tell Daddy that she would be spending the afternoon with Fitz and Dr. Simmons. Skye even followed them to the computer room figuring she'd be stuck with that laptop that didn't do much for a couple more hours. She decided to tell them she was going to find her parents and maybe take a little nap. She was pretty tired.

Dr. Simmons asked if she wanted her to walk her back to the com room, but Skye reminded her she'd made it there and back earlier and wasn't afraid to go again. The doctor nodded and watched until Skye was at the large opening at the bottom of the ramp that led to the next floor. She stopped and waved to Jemma then turned and skipped up the thing. She did head toward the common room since it seemed everything was close to it but her real destination was Daisy's room…no her bunk. That's what they called them here, bunks.

It wasn't really hard to find especially since Skye had figured out that she could think with Daisy's thoughts. She didn't want to believe it was Daisy's mind because that was scary, but really it was her mind too. The bunks were in a hall that looked like everyone was working to keep clean. Most of the rocks and stuff were gone and the floor was clean…well, as clean as it could be. The black sooty stuff that was everywhere was washed away. Skye figured it was because they didn't want it all over where they slept and kept their important things. She shivered with the thought that it might be in their beds.

Skye stood in front of the door that she just knew was Daisy's. It was locked and there was a box with a stencil of a hand on it. The little girl smiled. She'd seen these on space movies. They were special locks you just opened by putting your hand on them. The box could tell it was your hand and it let the door open. She frowned for a moment then looked at the palm of her hand. The lines and creases were there just like they were supposed to be. She traced the 'M' formed by the creases and smiled. These were Daisy's hands, sure they were younger and smaller, but definitely the absolute same as the hands on her adult body. Hands don't change.

Your fingerprints are forever. That's what the police said when they came to her school and put everyone's fingerprints on little cards. They looked at them with magnifying glasses and compared them to each other's.

The little girl shrugged her shoulders, looked one more time at her left hand and pressed it into the stencil hand. A green light came on and went up and down a few times then turned red and made a soft bloop sound. She frowned and took her hand back. She didn't intend to give up. Pressing her hand up a big higher and a lot firmer, Skye watched as the green light waved up and down a second time. It stopped then did it again before turning green and emitting a soft beep as the door clicked open.

Stepping inside the room, Skye blinked adjusting her vision to the darkness within. The door whooshed closed and she froze in the pitch black. She knew there was nothing in the dark that wasn't there in the light, but it still made her heart beat faster. The child considered searching for a light switch and let out a soft sigh causing the soft lighting that surrounded the perimeter of the ceiling to brighten the area. Skye let out a breath of relief and waited for her heart to stop pounding in her ears.

The room really wasn't much to look at. It was the same drab color as every other room. Skye couldn't decide if it were green or grey or maybe a combination of both. There was a bed against one wall. It looked skinnier than the one she had at home, almost more like a cot but it had a real mattress not one of those thin thing-a-ma-jigs and a metal top and bottom. There was a big chest at the foot of it with a giant clasp but no lock. Skye turned and looked at the thing that was probably a dresser. It had a couple drawers and a mirror. On top were a lot of the same things mommy had on her vanity, deodorant and powers and stuff…lady stuff. That figured, cuz Daisy was a lady, even though Skye just thought of her as a big friend…or her own big self. Sometimes it was hard to think about who or what they were to each other.

In one corner there was a rack with clothes on hangers. That made Skye giggle. Daisy didn't ever hang up anything. But here there were some sweaters and slacks actually hanging neatly. Skye immediately focused on a jet black sleek pair of slacks paired with an even neater looking top. The material was soft but felt a little heavier than she thought it would. She'd never really felt anything like it but somehow knew how it would feel against her skin. Under it was a pair of boots, black and shiny like the kind she'd seen soldiers wear in parades or in movies. Maybe Daisy was a soldier just like that Piper lady, but it didn't feel like she was. Against the far wall was a door. Skye didn't have to open it. She knew it was a kind of bathroom that didn't have a lot of space.

She let out a sigh. Daisy's room wasn't as exciting as she thought it would be. She started for the door once again catching sight of that big chest at the bottom of Daisy's bed. It wouldn't hurt just to take a peek inside. After all, it was her stuff anyway…just not yet…but it would be someday. Walking slowly toward it she imagined the treasure trove she might find inside. Her fingers shook with so much excitement she could barely flip the clasp and lift the lid.

Again Skye's spirit fell. There wasn't much to see here either. She picked up and examined a small hula girl doll that wobbled when she shook it. Shrugging she placed it carefully back in the chest. She picked up a small red car. It looked like one of those little race cars that had a remote control and the little man inside looked a lot like Daddy. Smiling she placed it back as well. Mostly there were some old clothes, plaid shirts and a couple pair of jeans, nothing really interesting….except…. At the very bottom of the chest was a box. Skye pulled it free, sat down on the floor and flipped it open. Inside was a pair of some kind of silver…silver…she wasn't sure what they were but there were two of them and maybe they were some kind of gloves because they looked like they might go on your hands. Yeah, like the things Hercules or some ancient warrior would put on to protect their arms. Skye took one and held it out, peering through it and wondering why Daisy would have such a crazy thing. Maybe she really liked history or had some kind of collection. Maybe she just found them somewhere and thought they were neat.

Skye thought they were neat…maybe they were magic. Once again the little girl shook with excitement. Magic wasn't real, Skye was certainly old enough to know that, but heck neither was time travel or bouncing from being an adult to being a child or whatever she'd been doing the past few weeks. So maybe, just maybe they were magic and that's why Daisy hid them in the bottom of this big chest. But sometimes magic was dangerous. Sometimes magic could do bad things, like turn you into a mouse like in that witch movie that gave her nightmares for weeks. Skye held the metal piece in her hand and let out a soft sigh, maybe if she just put on one it would be okay. Maybe you needed to put on both to make them work…if they did anything anyway.

Before she could think anymore, Skye slipped the metal glove thingie over her hand. It reached almost to her shoulder and felt kinda like having her hand in a pipe. It was a little heavy and kinda cold but built so even though it fit almost her whole arm she could still bend her elbow. She had to close her fist around the hand piece to keep it from sliding off. The little girl held up her arm and admired the fine finish on the piece and sighed. Nothing had happened. These things were just some kind of weird stuff Daisy had that did nothing. It was probably why they were buried in the chest. She picked up the other and slipped it over her opposite hand.

The feeling came on slowly, like a bunch of bees swarming around inside her head and then zipping all over her body. It made her feel hot and cold at the same time. The floor felt like it was bouncing and she dropped both hands to the tile to stop it only making it shake a little harder. It was more like the room was humming and the hum was making it vibrate. A small tinkling noise caused the girl to look to the dresser as the bottles and jars on it jiggled and clinked against each other. The hangers on the rack in the corner bounced up and down made a plinking noise as the metal met metal. The chest vibrated until it slammed shut causing Skye to jump.

xx

Fitz looked up from the figures he was working on and glanced at Jemma who had been monitoring Daisy's vital signs…or were they Skye's. She'd been working on figuring that out as well when the soft hum of vibration started beneath her feet. It was small and very slight but both scientists knew the familiar feel.

Fitz rose first, not waiting for but knowing she would join him as he exiting the room and raced toward the ramp that would take him to the upper levels of the base. Jemma was a half step behind.

xx

May stopped mid-move in her Tai Chi exercise, freezing for a split second before grabbing the towel draped over an intact chair and dashing from the room. She took the hallway in less than five strides and burst into the small area Coulson had been using to organize what he could salvage from the wreckage of the base.

He stood in the center of the small room, a look of disbelief hung on his face. He barely noticed May standing in the doorway.

"Where's Skye?!" She demanded as two scientists skidded to a halt behind her.

xx

Daisy sat at the breakfast table thoroughly enjoying a feast of blueberry pancakes, bacon and fresh perked coffee from a real percolator not one of those drip right through machines. It was heavenly. Conversation wasn't about missions or disasters or saving the world. They were just normal day to day things like it was going to rain this weekend and who didn't get their laundry to the basement yet and whose turn it was to clear the table after this meal. Phil read the paper and Melinda sipped her tea in between comments about some celebration that was happening downtown and the city council's vote on some kind of property tax. William acted like he always did, quietly enjoying his meal and adding a few comments of his own. He didn't seem at all like he had been the night before and Daisy wondered if maybe she dreamed the whole thing.

She finished the last bite of her pancakes and reached for her coffee when she felt it. The feeling wasn't strange. She knew what it was before it covered her completely. She'd just never felt it here before. It did make her feel a little dizzy, but not so much anyone would notice. She closed her eyes and prayed some prayer she thought she'd forgotten years ago. 'Please don't let this be happening…not here…not now...'

The coffee in her cup sloshed gently side to side as the fork she had placed on the table tapped against the side of her plate. She watched the paper Phil held shiver for a moment before he lowered it and peeked at her then Melinda. The table bounced against the tiled floor making tiny tapping sounds for a second before William set his hands down and silenced it.

Daisy squeezed her hands into tight fists and willed the quaking to stop. It faded slowly as the liquid settled in the cups and the vibrations ceased. For a moment everyone merely stared and waited for what might happen next. Daisy jumped when she felt a warm hand cover her tight fist and squeeze it.

"Bet that will make the six-o-clock report," Phil smiled.

"You're as white as a sheet, baobei." Melinda wrapped her hand around Daisy's opposite hand, "just a little tremor, nothing to worry about."

Daisy fought the urge to pull her hands away. There was a very slight chance they were right. She knew there were fault lines that ran through the eastern US. They weren't as well studied as the San Andreas one in California but she'd done her homework on researching earthquakes and yes, there had been several on the east coast. But that was the real east coast. Why would Fitz put something so crazy into this program? Answer was simple, he didn't. After all this time, inhumanity had caught up with her and now it was part of this pseudo-reality.

She did manage a weak smile that brought another squeeze from Phil and a gentle pat from Melinda.

"Nothing to fear, sweet pickle," Phil smiled as he pulled his hand back and straightened his paper.

A hard rap at the front door silenced their conversation. Agent Fox let herself in before anyone rose to open the door. She marched down the hallway and into the kitchen followed by three younger agents who stopped behind her like well trained robots. She placed a hand on Daisy's shoulder and spun her around on her seat.

"How is it my agency can find absolutely nothing on you, Johnson?" She demanded. "No social, no prints, no birth certificate or passport…it's like you don't even exist." She poked Daisy's shoulder.

Phil was on his feet. "Agent Johnson works deep cover," he began. "No one has information on her for her own safety as well as the people she protects."

"And isn't it just coincidental that she shows up on the very day your child disappears? The child that no one at your own agency had any idea existed until the day she disappeared. It took almost twenty four hours to track down that birth certificate." The agent glared at Melinda.

"If you wanted it, all you had to do was ask." Melinda spoke through her teeth.

Agent Fox narrowed her eyes and turned back to the young woman still seated at the table. "I've got nothing on you Johnson, but I am watching you." She turned to Melinda. "And I still feel there is a lot you aren't telling me about your child's disappearance."

Melinda stood and motioned for Daisy to do the same. "You just do your job, Fox. And we'll do ours." She pushed her grown daughter toward the door. "Right now that means we have to get back to our own investigation. We'll keep you posted." She gave a curt nod and stormed from the room. Phil followed.

William stood and carried his cup to the sink. He turned and smiled once before heading for his own room at the opposite end of the house.

Agent Fox watched as the family dispersed. She waited until she knew they were gone then reached across the table and picked up a small juice glass at the place Daisy had been sitting. She smiled as she dropped it into a small evidence bag and handed it to one of the young agents. He smiled back, gave a nod, turned and left the house.

xx

Skye pulled the gauntlets off her arms and dropped them back into the box then buried them back under the clothes in Daisy's chest. She let the top slam shut, turned and slapped her hand against the sensor that opened the door. She ran into the hall and stopped. There were few places to run. She ran her hands up and down her forearms trying to brush away the feeling of millions of ants running up and down on both. Again she turned to run but felt as if she'd been rooted to the ground. She looked down at her feet watching the mud that surrounded them grow up her legs to her waist. It twirled and circled around her chest and branched out to both arms as she watched in terror then crawled up over her head and covered her face. She wanted to scream but it would only echo inside the shell that encased her, inside the darkness that surrounded her.

Again Skye tried to move, tried to wriggle her fingers, bend her knees but found herself frozen like some mud covered statue. She remembered once being buried in the sand on a vacation at the shore. It had been fun and when she stood all covered with the wet goo she felt like a monster stomping into the waves to wash it away. Now she could not stomp or walk or even squirm. All she could do was breathe and listen to the buzzing silence that surrounded her. She'd never felt so alone and vowed she would never ever touch anything she shouldn't ever again…if she ever was able to even move.

How would anyone know she was here? How would they find her? How would they know she wasn't just one of the big rocks that lay strewn all over this place?

Skye drew a deep breath and let it out then drew a second and puffed it out like a giant dragon. The crust that surrounded it popped like a hollow chocolate Easter bunny and flew in all directions. The little girl dropped to the floor and wrapped her arms around her legs, breathing heavy and muttering promises of being good forever to herself.

Coulson rounded the corner first, with May at his side and Fitz-Simmons right behind. All four stopped at the sight before them. Skye sat curled into herself against the door to Daisy's bunk. She was breathing heavily but not sobbing. Jemma stepped first, ever the doctor, expecting the child to need some kind of medical attention. Coulson held out an arm stopping her at the same time Fitz grabbed her elbow. He looked to Melinda and gave a quick nod. She returned the same.

"Hey, Skye," Coulson cooed as he took a step toward her. "What're you doing here all by yourself?" He spoke calmly as he moved toward her. "We've been looking for you, angel." The man almost whispered as he stood over her. "Mind if I sit with you here." He waited a moment for her to answer, looked back at the others watching him then slid down to sit next to the little girl.

"I don't think I'm an angel." Skye whispered back from inside her folded self. "I think I did something real bad…"

Coulson looked up at the others again then scooted closer to the little girl and wrapped an arm around her. At first Skye attempted to pull away but relaxed a bit when he pulled her to his side. "We all make mistakes, Skye. It's just part of being human."

"Am I?" Skye looked up for the first time, large tears pooling in her eyes. "Something is very wrong with me." She said without thinking as a very light vibration shimmered along the floor.

Coulson felt the sensation much like that of small engine starting. He knew the others felt the same. It was quick and almost nothing, but they all felt it. Fitz shook his head. Jemma bit back her own tears and May grit her teeth.

Coulson smiled down at the little girl and hugged her again. "There's nothing wrong with you Skye. You are exactly what you're supposed to be and exactly the little girl we will always love." He looked to May who understood and immediately moved to join them, dropping down on Skye's opposite side and wrapping an arm around her.

"I'm sorry, mommy." She sobbed against May's shoulder. "The mud got all over me and I couldn't get it off then it exploded all over." She spread her arm across the hall but realized there was nothing to show. "I keep wake dreaming, mommy. I can't make it stop."

May kissed the top of the little girl's head and looked up at Coulson. "It's okay baby. Listen to me, we can fix this."

"I can't mommy. I can't make it stop." Skye breathed against May's chest. "I can't focus like we practiced, mommy. They're going to get me and take me away. They're going to hurt everyone."

May looked to Coulson remembering herself having a conversation in the bowels of this same building with a terrified Skye who iced herself to prevent anyone from being hurt. "No baobei, nothing bad is going to happen. We're going to go back to our room and you're going to rest while Daddy and I talk." She stood and pulled the little girl up with her, nodding to Coulson who swept the child into his arms. They walked slowly past the scientist.

Skye looked up from Coulson's shoulder as they passed. "I'm sorry Jemma, I'm so sorry." She sighed then dropped her head against him and closed her eyes.

xx

Daisy closed her eyes and felt the chill go through her body as she sat in the back of Phil and Melinda's SUV. Within the hour they'd find Chuck and get that damn laptop to work. She glanced at it on the seat next to her and dreaded ever having seen the blasted thing. For some reason she'd had a flash of Lady Sif driving her sword through the electrified mesh that closed in the cell they'd had in the basement of the playground. It was an old memory she rarely thought about and it never really frightened her like it did right now. It was pretty terrifying when it happened but when she thought about it later she only remembered how May had been willing to fight to the death to protect her. She remembered the feeling it gave her. It was the first time anyone ever showed they cared about her that much and at that point she wanted nothing else but for Melinda May to be her mother. After that point she would never think of her as anything less.

But right now the memory was bringing up the terror of the moment, the loss of control, the loss of friendship and the feeling of betrayal. She wanted to shake it off but it clung to her like soot or the smell of smoke from a campfire. She couldn't shake it.

"She disappeared once before," Melinda's voice came from the front seat, lost in a memory of her own.

Daisy shook off her thoughts and tried to listen instead.

"We were in Macy's. I don't even remember what we were doing there or what we needed that I would have a three year old shopping with me but I let go of her for just a minute and she was gone." Melinda's voice grew shaky, something Daisy had never heard in her own version of the woman.

"I was only on the other side of the display but I couldn't see you and I screamed so loud." Daisy remembered…she actually remembered the incident. It played in her head like a scene from a film. She saw Melinda smiling at her and watched as she let go of her hand. She watched her little bitty self slip away and dance around the display where she could no longer see her mother. She heard herself scream and watched as so many people stopped and looked. She felt the panic and the relief when Melinda scooped her into her arms and hugged her tightly, kissing her over and over.

Daisy remembered her mother…remembered her closeness, her smell, her relief, her love surrounding her and feeling safe…safe in her arms.

"Daisy?" Phil's voice came from outside the car. "Daisy?" he repeated as he bent and looked into the vehicle.

The girl shook off the warm memory. She blinked once and turned to exit the SUV. Phil took her arm and helped her to stand.

"You okay?" He asked with an overly concerned look.

Daisy smiled. "Yeah, just thinking."

"Won't be long," he smiled, "everything will be back to normal."

"Yeah, normal," she shrugged as she reached into the car, picked up the laptop and tucked it under her arm. She turned to follow him.

"We need to move," Phil urged. "Your mother probably has Chuck in a choke hold by now."

Daisy smiled at the image and hoped she could get a little of that action. She hurried to catch up.

xx

"Where is he?" Melinda demanded as she slammed the door of the tech lab against the wall and stormed into the room.

Everyone stopped. Several pencils hit the floor and one bespectacled nerd slipped from his chair to the floor with a dull thump.

"I really hate to repeat myself." Melinda growled as she slapped a hand on the first desk she approached.

Phil and Daisy ran through the door and stopped, taking in the silence of the room. They looked at each other once then concentrated their attention on Melinda.

"W-where's w-who?" The young man at that desk stammered.

Melinda looked across the room at the desk where she had first encountered Chuck Salinger. His name piece set against his computer at the empty seat. She nodded toward that area and sneered, "Chuck."

"We need him to unlock this." Daisy interjected, moving to stand next to her cyber-mom and tapped the device under her arm.

The tech glanced at it quickly then looked to Melinda still glowering above him. "I…I…have…haven't seen him y-yet…to-today." The man stuttered again.

"Today?" Daisy repeated. "He's not here?"

"He's here," a second tech answered from across the room. He stepped forward and eyed Melinda warily before continuing. "Said he had to find something he left downstairs. I think he's in the surveillance room." The man stated evenly. "Said he was trying to help someone with a serious problem."

Melinda eyed him for a moment then turned and walked past Phil to the exit. He followed. Daisy nodded toward the man, gave a quick thanks and headed after them.

The trio marched through the base to the surveillance room where Phil stepped in front of his wife and raised a hand. "This time," he drew a breath. "This time let me do the talking." He put his hand on the door and pulled it open crashing into a young man in a white lab coat on his way out. The man stepped back with a quick pardon me as Phil did the same then blinked twice at the girl standing behind him.

"You!" he pointed at Daisy.

The girl's brows rose as she pointed to herself.

"It was her!" He pointed again, but this time looked at Melinda. "I am really sorry, Agent May. I intended to look into that computer thing for you but this…this…she stole it!"

"Stole it?" Daisy was flabbergasted. "You're the one that took it from her office." She hooked a thumb over her shoulder at Melinda. "We've been looking for it and for you since yesterday."

"You stole it from my locker and I have proof right here!" He held up a thumb drive, shaking it in her face.

"And how did you get it?" Daisy barked back. "You stole it fr…"

"ENOUGH!" Phil held up a hand. "It doesn't matter who did what right now. We've got the laptop and you," he pointed to Chuck, "are going to undo whatever you've done to it as soon as we get back to our office so let's move."

No one budged.

"NOW!" Phil ordered.

"Fine," Chuck and Daisy answered together, then glared at each other.

"Give it to me," Chuck growled. "It's a delicate instrument. It shouldn't be manhandled by some barbarian."

"No way," Daisy turned the device away from him, feeling the soft vibration under her feet. She drew a quick breath and reeled it in. This was no place to reveal secrets that had no place in this reality. Damn, how did this happen?

Melinda held out a hand, demanding the laptop without words. Chuck swallowed hard and Daisy let out a frustrated breath but handed it over. Melinda nodded once, turned and marched away. Phil gave the younger agents a not so gentle shove, urging them to follow.

He let out a frustrated breath.

With any luck this whole mess would be put to right before lunch.

xx

Chuck hurried into the tech lab, skirting around Melinda and getting to his desk a step before her. She glared at him as she set the laptop down and folded her arms over her chest. Daisy and Phil entered a few seconds later and stood on either side of her. Daisy mimicked her mother's stance without thought. Phil smiled at the joint front. The lab tech looked like he might wet himself staring back into a double set of badass agent eyes. Despite the fact that he never wanted his little girl to join this life, Phil could not help the feeling of pride that gushed through him. Daisy or Skye or Daisy or whatever she called herself was one excellent agent and he knew he and her mother were probably responsible, no were definitely responsible for that.

"What are you waiting for, Chuck?" Daisy smirked. "Forget how to undo what you've done?" She accused, unable to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

"Enough," Melinda hissed without looked toward the younger agent. "Fix it," she spat at the lab tech.

Chuck smiled and took his time to open the device and tap a few keys to enter his own password, something any S.H.I.E.L.D tech could do on any S.H.I.E.L.D device. "I don't have to remember because I didn't do anything to it." Chuck boasted as he hit a key to match each word. The laptop slowly came to life displaying a blank blue screen with one tiny red rectangle blinking in the center. "I merely put a S.H.I.E.L.D lock on the device in case it fell into the wrong hands." He glared at Daisy as he made the statement. "You never know who might try to hack into our system."

Daisy rolled her eyes. "Give me a break, Chuck." Every time she said his name it was exaggerated and cartoon-ish. "I could run circles around you and all your little tech minions." She snarled.

He looked up at her from his seat at the desk and batted his eyes with a smirky smile. "Couldn't get through this though, could ya…?" He wanted to laugh but the other woman's glare was shearing right through him. It was easier to deal with the younger one anyway.

Daisy narrowed her eyes. "If I had the time…"

"E – NOUGH!" Melinda barked silencing both her daughter and the tech. "Whatever you did, undo it. NOW." She growled at Chuck then turned to Daisy who held up both hands. The girl was not about to deal with an incensed Melinda May in any reality.

Chuck nodded with a satisfied smile, figuring he'd won. He opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a small red box with a USB peripheral sticking out like a small antenna. He held it for a moment then looked to the three agents watching his every move. "Mind if I ask what level you are? This is pretty classified stuff. Gotta be a least level f-f-f-f-f…"

Melinda had him by the collar, out of his seat and at least six inches from the floor. "I will not say it again, Chuck," she spit out his name like a bad taste. Pulling him close she spoke quiet and calmly into his ear as he struggled to pull in short breaths. "Unless you want your face to be floor level, you stop all this shitting around and fix the damn laptop while all ten of your fingers are still working."

She let go, dropping him into his chair where he coughed and sputtered in an attempt to regulate his breathing. Daisy stifled a laugh when Phil yanked her elbow and gave a quick head shake warning. Melinda was not making idle threats. She never did.

Chuck choked and gasped for a few seconds before turning his scarlet face toward Melinda and giving a quick nod. He took the external drive from Phil, who had caught it before it hit the floor, with a nod of thanks and slipped the USB into one of laptop's ports.

The blue screen turned black, immediately displaying the S.H.I.E.L.D logo. A robotic female voice, that sent shivers down Daisy's spine, announced that the user had ten seconds to enter the correct code before the device was irreparably destroyed. A small count-down clock appeared in the upper right corner and clicked as the seconds diminished.

Chuck slowly entered the letters and digits using one finger. Daisy could just see the smirk on his face and pictured herself wiping it off. He hit a key and the computer protested loudly. The robot voice announced there where seven seconds remaining and the user had only one more opportunity to enter the correct code. Chuck looked up and smiled at Daisy then quickly tapped in the digits with both hands leaving three seconds on the counter before it disappeared and the screen blipped from black to blue to the welcome screen Skye had seen the first time she turned on her laptop.

Daisy let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Chuck attempted to make some snide remark but it came out as a squeak when Melinda pulled him from the chair and just as quickly pushed Daisy into it. She held Chuck's tie wrapped around her hand…just in case.

"Well," she told Daisy to check it out with that one word. Phil stepped behind the girl to watch.

Daisy nodded and glared at Chuck for a moment. If he'd played some kind of prank on them and this caused a massive computer crash…well, she wouldn't get the chance to plaster his puss against the wall because Melinda would probably break him in half and then half again before she was able to get out of the chair. She smiled at the fact that right now Chuck did not look very amused nor did he look like he had a death wish. She was pretty sure he'd done what needed doing.

Moving the mouse to the little welcome box on the screen Daisy took a deep breath and tapped it gently. Again the screen blipped and then opened to the cartoon Fitz with the enormous head frozen in place with a giant pause icon dead center. She smiled up at Melinda and looked back at Coulson before mentally crossing her fingers and holding her finger over the enter key. She froze for a moment then quickly dropped her hands to her lap.

"What's wrong?" Phil whispered from behind, gently laying his hands on her shoulders.

"If you…" Melinda tightened her grip on Chuck's tie. He squeaked once and held up both hands shaking his head rapidly.

Daisy looked to Melinda then leaned back and crooked a finger toward Phil, motioning him to come closer. She whispered in his ear. "It might not be a good idea to test this here…I mean in this lab with all these rubber-neckers. I don't know how fast this might work, if it works and…well, I don't want to go melting into Skye in front of everyone. Besides, this outfit," she tugged on her clothing, "is gonna be a little big on the kid. Might be embarrassing, if you know what I mean."

Phil thought for a moment, gave a nod and patted the girl's shoulders. He slowly reached over her shoulder and pressed the laptop closed then turned to Melinda. "Just as Chuck said, this is above the clearance level of this division. It would be in everyone's best interest if we take this device back to the upper office and continue with the program correction." He nodded toward Chuck in an unspoken command for Melinda to release him. With a quick nod response she let go and ignored the fact that the man nearly went to the floor before latching on to the closest desk for balance. Again he coughed his way back to breathing as he moved to his own desk and chair.

Daisy rose, barely on her feet before he pulled the chair away and dropped into it, breathing heavily. She glared at the man who merely narrowed his gaze and pushed the laptop toward her. She pulled it into her hands and once again tucked it securely under one arm.

Before Daisy could comment Phil gave the man a pat on the back and grabbed his hand shaking it firmly. "Thank you for your help, Chuck. You did great." He smiled and squeezed Chuck's shoulder before turning to follow Melinda out the door. Daisy waited until her parents exited then followed. She glanced back once to catch Chuck throwing them a one finger salute. She narrowed her eyes and drew a quick breath then flicked one finger toward him sending everything on his desk to the floor in one blinked whoosh. She smiled at his plight, blew a breath over that one finger and bumped the door closed with her hip.

xx

It took a second for Daisy to catch up to her parents and only a few minutes more for the three of them to reach Phil and Melinda's office. They closed the door and Daisy rushed to sit at one of the desks. She pulled open the laptop and waited breathlessly as the black screen slowly faded into a welcome screen. From there she repeated the clicks to start Fitz's little daisy program. Once again the guy with the big head appeared in the center of the screen and once again she paused as she held her finger over the key that would release the pause and restart the laptop. Melinda and Phil stood behind her anxiously waiting for whatever would happen. They exchanged glances when the girl stopped again.

"What now?" Phil asked calmly, placing a hand on Melinda's arm and the other on Daisy's shoulder.

Daisy shook her head. "Like I said downstairs, I don't know what's going to happen or how fast it will happen. I might just blip out of here and Skye will blip in before you even take a breath, but it might take a while. I could fade out and it might take a bit for her to get back. She might not even come here. She might just pop back into her bedroom where she was the last time anyone saw her." Daisy ran a hand through her hair. "I'm not really sure how this works and I don't want you to be scared that she's not coming back because I know she is."

Phil spun the chair around and looked into his adult daughter's eyes. He could see the fear, and the doubt, looking back. "We trust you Daisy." He smiled. "We believe you know exactly what you're doing and that when it's done everything will work out."

"But…" Daisy began.

Melinda put a finger against the girl's lips and smiled that mother kind of smile. "Do you remember when you were very little, when you were afraid to try something or do something new? Like the first time you jumped off the diving board…" Melinda began.

"Or the day we took the training wheels off your bike?" Phil added.

For as unbelievable as it seemed, Daisy did remember. She remembered both days as if she'd actually lived them. It gave her a strange warm feeling she did not recognize. Looking from one parent to the other she nodded.

"Do you remember the story I used to tell you?" Melinda smiled.

Daisy thought for a moment and started to shake her head then remembered. "The old farmer," she nodded, "Shan Ru." Daisy smiled at the memory, computer generated or not it was comforting to have that kind of memory…of mom's story helping her over the little hurdles of childhood.

Melinda nodded. "Every year old Shan Ru would plow and plant and ready his fields then he'd…"

"Say to the heavens, please let my crops grow but if you can't at least don't let me starve and every year they failed…" Daisy filled in the story.

"That's right," Melinda smiled. "Every year they failed because every year he was planting…"

"Seeds of doubt," Daisy spoke softly.

"Right, baobei," Melinda grinned as she leaned forward and kissed the girl's temple. "But you are not Shan Ru, and you don't doubt yourself."

Daisy shook her head remembering her dive from that board and the many after. She remembered sailing down the street on her blue bike turning once to bravely let go of the handle bar and wave at daddy. She could not imagine how she now had Skye's memories or when they'd invaded her subconscious but it probably had something to do with the latest switch. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy it but the thought of having to give it up was almost physically painful.

The girl shrugged her shoulders and spun herself back to face the computer. "You trust me and I trust Fitz. He said this would fix it so here goes nothing." She held her finger over the key, wriggled it once and let it drop.

The screen went to a brownish fade to black color as the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo spun around and stopped underscored by one word – LOCKDOWN.

Daisy blinked. Unbelievable. She sat back hard against the chair and almost laughed. She absently picked up her left arm and wrapped her right hand around her left wrist. She hadn't seen that screen in years but knew exactly how it happened but no idea why. Melinda and Phil were demanding answers but she was dumbfounded.

Phil spun her again. "Daisy, what happened?" He tried not to sound as crestfallen as he felt.

The girl looked into his eyes then back to her wrist. "It's a long story that happened about five years ago for me but not yet for you." She shook her head and let out a frustrated breath.

"That damn bracelet," she whispered under her breath.


	52. I Can Hold On for a While

**Chapter 52**

 **I Can Hold on for a While**

Coulson lowered Skye to the bed in the room he and May had been sharing for the last few days. He brushed the hair from her eyes and smiled to encourage her. May sat on the edge of the bed and took the little girl's hand in her own.

"We need you to stay here with Dr. Simmons while we talk about a few things." May attempted a smile but Skye was already shaking her head and attempting to throw her legs over the side of the bed. May put a hand on the girl's shoulder and looked to Coulson for support.

"You need to stay here Skye, just for a little bit." He calmly told the little girl as he squatted down to her eye level.

"I'm sorry…I'm okay really. I just got scared when the ground was shaking. I never felt an earthquake before. Is that what it was?" She looked from Coulson to May with wide questioning eyes.

The couple exchanged a glance of their own. "We aren't sure, angel." Coulson smiled. "We're going to talk with Dr. Fitz about it and find out exactly what happened." He truthfully lied. "Dr. Simmons just wants to make sure you weren't hurt."

Skye shook her head again. She didn't like doctors. They were always so pokey and she remembered…or was Daisy remembering that Dr. Simmons was _very_ pokey. She liked to take blood and would probably make her stay in bed even if she wasn't sick, just to be super safe. Skye didn't like that idea at all and somewhere in some fuzzy memory she remembered Dr. Simmons pushing on her chest really hard and then jabbing her with a very cold needle that made her feel all hot inside like everything would burn but at the same time it was so freezing she was afraid she'd break like an icicle falling from the rain gutter. It hurt and felt good at the same time. It made her bounce and writhe and go all flat all over and then everything felt better, even the terrible stomach ache that wouldn't go away. It took her a long time to wake up after that needle and she didn't want another.

"It's okay, sweet heart," Jemma comforted as she approached the bed. May stood and the young doctor took her place. "I promise it will be quick. I just want to check your heart and blood pressure."

Skye's eyes were wide with fear as May moved farther away. Coulson stood as well and patted the little girl's shoulder. "I promise we won't be long and if you really need us, Simmons will call us right back." The little girl reached up and grabbed his hand with both of her own. He patted them gently then bent and kissed the top of her head. "I promise, Skye. We won't be far away."

May stepped in front of the man and looked down at the child. "You can do this Skye. I know you can." She smiled her belief as she tugged Coulson toward the door.

Skye watched them go. May stopped only once to whisper something to Dr. Fitz, who nodded to Jemma then followed the older couple through the door. She looked back at Dr. Simmons who was smiling as she pulled a stethoscope from the black bag she had dropped on the floor next to the bed. Skye hadn't even realized she was carrying it.

"Am I in trouble?" She asked Jemma quickly.

Jemma hesitated. Skye knew what that meant. Adults did that when they didn't want to lie but didn't want to tell you what was really happening either. She set the stethoscope on the little girl's chest and ordered her to take a deep breath. Skye did as she was told realizing she wouldn't be able to ask any questions while doing so. After three big breaths with the stethoscope on her chest and then again on her back she watched as Jemma wrapped a black cuff around her arm then asked again.

"Am I in trouble?" This time it was whispered as if she wanted to make sure no one else heard.

Jemma smiled as she pumped the little bulb in her hand until the band on Skye's arm got so tight she was sure her fingertips would pop. She squished her face into a painful grimace and breathed a sigh of relief as the pressure released and the band grew loose enough to slip off.

"What would make you think you're in trouble?" Jemma asked as she held a hand to the girl's forehead then pulled out a little white thermometer and held it on the child's temple. It was there only a few seconds before it beeped and the doctor frowned just a smidge before she dropped it back into her bag.

Skye watched for a few seconds then took a breath. "I lied to you," she waited for a reaction that didn't come then continued. "I lied to them, too." She nodded toward the now closed door. Jemma's brows knit together and Skye figured she was either pretending to be confused or maybe she really didn't know. "I told you I was with my mom and dad and I told them I was with you." The little girl shrugged and looked down at her own hands. "That's two lies." She looked back up quickly. "But I wasn't gonna do anything bad. I just wanted to see what Daisy's room was like and I was kinda bored." She looked back down, playing with her fingers that now lay in the hole created by her criss-crossed legs. "There's not a lot to do around here."

"I am sorry you're bored, Skye but you could have asked. I certainly would have taken you to Daisy's bunk." Jemma almost smiled. Skye eyed her for a moment. The doctor looked unhappy.

"It's mine too," the child mumbled. "We're the same…me and Daisy. I'm sorry I lied to you Jemma." Her voice was soft and low. "I should have told you but I was afraid you wouldn't want to be my friend anymore. I was afraid I would scare you. I'm sorry I got Fitz in trouble with you." She looked up at the young doctor. "He was just trying to help."

Jemma stared at the child, quite confused by the conversation and not really sure what Fitz had done to contribute to it. "It is not a good idea to lie, Skye, especially to your friends and most definitely to your parents.

Skye sighed and looked toward the door. "I thought they'd be scared too. I didn't think they'd want me around any more."

Jemma shook her head. "Oh, darling, they would never feel that way. They would never send you away."

Skye continued staring at the door but spoke to Jemma in a strange far away tone. "The sword lady wanted to take me away. I was afraid she'd hurt my mom and I didn't want to hurt anybody so I took her gun and then I went to sleep."

Suddenly it made sense. Skye was somehow reliving another of Daisy's memories but explaining it in her own kid language. It definitely made no sense to the child, like some whacked out dream that she only had bits and pieces to deal with or explain.

"Do you think my mom is gonna be real mad at me?" She'd turned back to Jemma and her voice sounded normal again. The rapid change took the doctor off guard.

"Well…I…your mum and dad will talk to you I'm sure but I really can't answer that, Skye." Jemma lied for sure that time. She absolutely did know Agent May. May never took kindly to anyone disobeying any kind of order and lying…well, that was simply not tolerated among the team. They were spies. They lied for a living, but not to one another.

"My mommy back…back," Skye shrugged her shoulders. "My younger mommy would be pretty mad. I'd probably get punished bad for lying and for sneaking off and not telling anybody where I was going and for snooping around in somebody's stuff and then touching it." She rattled off in one long breath.

Jemma sighed as well. The kid was probably right. "Perhaps," she smiled weakly. "But maybe this time they'll understand." The doctor thought for a moment. "What kind of stuff did you touch, exactly?" She wondered.

"A little doll with a grass skirt," Skye shrugged. "It was from the van in the alley but really it was from my last teacher. She went to Hawaii and gave it to me. She said it was a good luck charm and I needed to keep trying cuz I had potential." The little girl shrugged again and shook her head.

Jemma realized the child wasn't really aware she was saying all these things or just didn't care…or maybe it was a glitch in Fitz's programming. Fitz? Glitch? No way. She smiled anyway. Daisy never really said when or where she acquired that little dollie but it seemed to be wherever she was at all times. "Is that all," Jemma asked as her brows rose. "I'm sure you didn't harm it."

"Uh ah," Skye shook her head. "I put it right back. I think it's important to Daisy for some reason." She nodded at her own statement. "I didn't touch any of her dresser stuff or that gun thing hanging by her black clothes. I didn't even sit on her bed." The little girl gushed then dropped her gaze back to her fingers. "I only wanted to see what was in the box." She looked up a Jemma with a pang of guilt. "I just put them on to see how they felt. I didn't break them or anything. They were so shiny and cool and then the floor started to bounce and I got scared. I put them back…right back where I got them and when the bouncing started I ran out but I got stuck in the mud!" She leaned forward and grabbed the doctor's arm with both hands. "It went all up my body and over my head and all the bees were buzzing and everything was going around so fast and I took a big breath and it exploded everywhere." The little girl's eyes were wide with fear. "Then mommy came and it was gone and…and…I'm sorry Jemma…I'm so sorry…" Her voice was filled with the same fear.

Jemma took the child's hands into her own. "It's okay, Skye. You're okay and I'm not angry with you. It all happened a…" She wanted to say a long time ago, but that would only serve to verify it was true and right now she wasn't sure what, if anything they planned to tell this very frightened little girl.

"But, it didn't," Skye looked into Jemma's eyes. "I just dreamed it. I dreamed it while I was awake and it keeps happening and I don't like it." She shook her head as Jemma shifted and pulled her into a half hug.

"It must be very frightening," she comforted as she pulled the little girl's head to her chest and rubbed a hand up and down on her shoulder. She could feel the child shaking against her but told herself, despite what her short exam had revealed that Skye was merely nervous about her parents' reaction to her latest escapade.

Skye's heart rate and respiration had increased dramatically, not as fast as Daisy's but for a child it was much more than just a fear reaction. Her temperature was higher than normal as well, but again no where near Daisy's now normal temp. The doctor knew that a blood test would more than likely show a difference in the child's DNA but given her already terrified state she did not want to attempt that.

Did merely touching Daisy's gauntlets cause Skye to go through some virtual form of terragenesis? But if the child told the story in the order it occurred then she felt the tremors before she cocooned and that made no sense. On the other hand she was just a kid and she was remembering things all out of order perhaps triggered by objects or places or even comments the others made. Jemma wasn't sure.

"Daddy was really mad when I went to see Miles. I don't want him to be that mad at me again." Skye shook her head against Jemma's shoulder. "I don't want you to be mad like that either." She looked up at the doctor. "I was trying to help him but he was bad but I think more he was just stupid." The little girl actually laughed a small laugh causing Jemma to do the same. "I wonder how he got home." She sighed as she relaxed against the young scientist.

That confirmed it. Skye was jumping through Daisy's memories set off by feelings in addition to physical reminders. There was no way of knowing what might send her through another wild ride through her adult self's mind or when or where it would be. Jemma closed her eyes trying not to think of some of the trauma's Daisy had been through since they met let alone all of those she'd survived before that. Daisy didn't talk much about her life before Coulson found her in that alley so Jemma only imagined some of those nightmares but then again there was crazy Cal and Jiaying hovering over them not to mention Hive and the 'sway' and the Watch Dogs and losing both May and Coulson to the Framework. They needed to get this little girl back to her parents in her own reality before the nightmares of Daisy's life here destroyed her.

"My mom doesn't ask a lot about why I did something." Skye voice from inside Jemma's embrace brought her back to reality. "She already knows I wasn't where I was supposed to be. She knows I lied two times." She let out a hard breath. "I'm in big trouble." She grew quiet for a bit then took a breath and let it out slowly. "Maybe she'll remember Daisy is all grown up and I won't get a spanking cuz she'll think about me being big."

Jemma frowned at the little girl, now back in this reality and worrying more about her punishment than the memories threatening to overwhelm her.

xx

"This is our worst nightmare," May blurted out as soon as she was sure they were far enough away not to be heard.

"I thought you said a child couldn't go through terragenesis." Coulson added as they cornered Fitz at the end of the hallway.

"What I said was a child couldn't handle it, not that it couldn't happen." Fitz ran a hand through his hair and shifted from foot to foot, looking past May and Coulson toward the door at least a hundred feet away.

"That didn't happen until Skye was adult. How is effecting her now?" May demanded.

Fitz held out a hand, palm up toward the same door. "How is any of this happening? She's remembering things that happened to Daisy that she can't possibly have access to without some kind of link." He sputtered.

"Then shut down the link." Coulson almost growled.

"I can't shut down something that doesn't exist." Fitz barked back. "It isn't something physical. I can't see it or touch it. It's between them or her. Skye _is_ Daisy." He almost whined, pacing back and forth while staring at his own feet.

"And Daisy is supposed to be remembering Skye's life," May spoke through her teeth.

"Maybe she is!" Fitz threw his arms up and let them drop. "Maybe they're exchanging them. I don't know. I cannot see what's going on there and I can't do a bloody thing until she unlocks that laptop." The muscles in his neck grew tight as she tried not to scream at the couple.

"Well, that's just great Fitz, because now we have a ten year old with the power to take this base down completely." Coulson spat, unable to contain his own anger.

"It was just a tiny rumble." Fitz countered. "It may be all there was. She's remembering, maybe it was just a flash." He hoped.

"And if it wasn't?" May countered. "How do we explain this?" She looked to Coulson. "We couldn't even get her through it when she was grown. It took that bitch to use her hocus pocus to calm her enough to bring it under control." She growled.

"She could bring down this whole neighborhood if she gets upset or scared. How are we supposed to stop that?" Coulson demanded, pressing the young engineer to the wall.

"I don't know!" Fitz yelled back, clenching his fists at his side. "I don't know how any of this is happening. It shouldn't be happening. There is no possible way for a virtual character to somehow leap out of a program and go walking about as a living breathing human being, but just down there a bit," he nodded toward the door. "We have a child that doesn't even exist being examined for any harm that might have come to her because of some alien experiment that happened eons ago and passed to that same child's adult self through generations of mutating DNA carried by one," he glared at May, "or both," he sneered at Coulson, "of her parents!" Fitz's voice grew louder and shriller with each word, causing the older couple to take a few steps back.

Coulson took a breath as May narrowed her eyes and did a little pacing of her own. He swallowed hard and put up a hand. "Okay, let's all just take a minute." He took another breath and blew it out through puffed cheeks. "We all need to take a step back. Fitz has a point. This could be just a fluke."

"And if it isn't?" May stopped, eyeing Coulson sideways as she took a quick breath.

"Then we find a way to deal with it, just like everything else." Coulson sighed, clearly tired of all the team had been through. "Right now, we have Piper and Chen do a quick damage check. I'm not even sure anyone else even noticed. Probably thought the place was just settling…again." He pinched the bridge of his nose imagining the headache that had plagued him for months returning with a vengeance.

May did not miss the action. She stepped closer. "What do we tell Skye?" She strained to lower her tone and calm her temper. She watched as Fitz continued pacing and quietly muttering under his breath. A flash of the young man's behavior after almost drowning skipped across her memory and the anger she felt was tinged with a bit of compassion.

"Unless she asks, we don't tell her anything." Coulson exhaled.

May shook her head. "You know how I feel about keeping her in the dark. It never ends well and probably won't no matter how old she is."

Coulson again pinched the bridge of his nose and let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, May, you've made that explicitly clear. But, she's just a kid and we don't even understand it, I have no idea how we'd explain it."

"She thinks she's time traveling," Fitz commented softly. "And we've let her. We haven't really explained anything because we've all been ignore one important fact."

Coulson and May exchanged a glance. As heartbreaking as it was, Skye was not a real child…well, not in the sense of normal every day reality. She was what some might call artificial intelligence, generated by Fitz's program not born of her parent's love for each other. Yet, Jemma would attest to the fact that the child had every bit of every human organ and every one worked perfectly. She had the scans and tests to prove it.

"Perhaps before we go planning on what we will or will not tell the girl, we should talk to Jemma. After Skye or Daisy," he shook his head, this was so very confusing. "After her transformation there were many physiological changes. Jemma documented all of them. If anyone knows whether or not this was just a bit of the girl's overactive imagination or if she has truly experience terragenesis, Jemma will be the one to know."

Coulson nodded and May let out a long breath as they stepped aside and let Fitz move back toward the bunk where they'd left their daughter and Dr. Simmons. Coulson took May's hand and squeezed it gently telling her with only a look that things would be okay. Maybe if he could convince her, he'd manage to convince himself as well.

xx

"Bracelet?" Phil asked. "A bracelet caused this?" He pointed to the revolving S.H.I.E.L.D. emblem on the screen.

Daisy shook her head. "Like I said, long story…"

"We've got the time." Melinda snarled as she folded her arms over her chest and leaned back on one leg.

Daisy pursed her lips and swallowed hard, remembering that look when she opened the door found an incensed Agent May standing just on the other side. She wondered just how long the woman had been there and just how much she heard with those super bat-moth ears. Even now she shuddered with the thought.

"Daisy?" Coulson urged.

"It was all a big dumb mistake." She shook her head. Hell, she'd never really talked about with anyone. It was just too embarrassing and anyway they all knew what she did. Weirdest thing about it was that they all still trusted her after, even May. Although it took a bit longer for her to actually believe she did. "I…well, I…there was this guy and…"

Melinda let out a long fluttery breath and rolled her eyes. "Didn't I teach you better than that?"

'I wish.' Daisy thought as she let out a long sigh. "Kids," she shrugged, "always think they know more than they're taught."

Melinda pursed her lips and shook her head as Coulson put a hand on the girl's back and jutted his chin out encouraging her to continue.

Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, Daisy wondered why after all this time it was so difficult to talk about this. "I thought he was a good guy and I…wanted him to be because we were…" Now her cheeks really burned. She could barely look at Melinda or Phil.

"Lovers?" Melinda exhaled.

Phil balked at the idea. "Be serious, Mel."

"She's an adult, Phil. She's allowed to make stupid mistakes, even the sleep with some deadbeat kind."

Daisy heard Phil take in a shocked breath as she looked sideways up at Melinda.

"Once," Melinda added as she raised one eyebrow, glaring back at the girl.

"Anyway," Daisy told her fingers, now nervously wrapped around themselves in her lap. "You found out…found…found us," she swallowed hard and hurried to continue. "And that we did some hacking together and you," she looked up at Phil then quickly away at the look of disappointment in his eyes. "You gave me a choice."

"I would have given you a lot more." Melinda snapped, glaring at the girl.

"Choice?" Phil interrupted, begging her to continue.

"A bracelet that would keep me out of all S.H.I.E.L.D. files without permission or leaving the…agency." She finished.

Phil smiled for the first time. "You took the bracelet."

"I needed a family." Daisy felt the tear run over her cheek before she could stop it. She brushed it away quickly. "The guy turned out to be a real loser." She shook her head then looked up at Phil, telling her a truth she'd never admitted before. "I needed you more. I didn't want to lose you."

Phil immediately wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Never, angel, not in any time, not ever could you do anything that would make me leave you. Never." He smiled and spoke in that quiet tone that always calmed her every fear.

Melinda shook her head and smiled an almost smile. "Still coddling her, Phil? Some things never change." She relaxed her stance. "So how does the bracelet fit in?"

"If I tried to access any S.H.I.E.L.D. site, I got this." Daisy pointed to the laptop's screen. "Lockdown," she sighed.

Melinda stepped next to the girl and took her hands in her own, pushed up her sleeves and examined her wrists. "I don't see a bracelet."

Daisy shook her head. "No, I only had a short time then Ph…Dad took it off. I kinda pretended to be a senior agent in order to…to find a missing person and save him."

Melinda raised an eyebrow. "Senior agent, huh? Anyone we know?"

Daisy shrugged. No way was she going there. She'd already explained enough. "I put it in my locker, kept it there to remind me…"

"So if it's in the future and none of this has happened yet, how is effecting this laptop now?" Melinda asked, clearly perplexed.

Daisy shook her head. "I don't know…unless…no," she shook her head.

"Unless…" Phil repeated.

Daisy stood and walked across the room then back, still rubbing her right hand around her left wrist as if she could feel the phantom bracelet. "Unless, somehow Skye found it or someone gave it to her. But that's just nuts."

 _'Yeah, just as nuts as all of this is, why the hell not? The kid finds it, puts it on and I get the effect. Why not?'_ Daisy thought to herself.

"Skye? She's involved in this?" Melinda was having a hard time putting all of this now-and-then together. "She puts the bracelet on there and it affects you here? How?"

Daisy threw her hands in the air. "I don't know. I hope Fitz does and he fixes it soon." She sounded as frustrated as her parents felt. "I don't even know how the damn thing would stay on her wrist. She's a skinny nothing. It should just fall off."

"Maybe you could just walk us through what has to be done." Phil suggested, nodding toward the laptop. "You direct and I'll type." He smiled at her.

Melinda rolled her eyes. "Phil, you are helpless with a computer."

He smiled and pointed at Daisy. "But she's not. All I have to do is what she tells me." He raised his eyebrows at the girl.

Daisy frowned, looking at the screen. "That might work, if I knew how to unlock the lockdown."

Melinda drew a disgusted breath. "We could always consult old Chuck." Her nostrils flared at the name.

Daisy shook her head. "He's never seen this. I'm sure." She rubbed her wrist again. "Skye needs to get rid of that bracelet, if, and I stress the IF, that is the problem." She ran through a myriad of scenarios in her head that might cause that damn bracelet to haunt her now. Until about twenty minutes ago she hadn't even thought about it in years. It had to be Skye. It was the only plausible explanation.

 _'Oh, hell, Daisy,'_ she thought to herself. _'Be serious, this is so out of control. Everything is so mixed up and convoluted_.' She wasn't even sure if Skye was with May and Coulson. How the hell would the little girl get there? And if she was there she was probably zoned out on the gurney in the computer room, oblivious to all of this madness. But she had to be there, the alternative was unimaginable.

Had she simply blipped out of existence? Was she in that place they went when they switched places, where they waited for the other to return? Since she arrived here and Skye disappeared before her eyes she hadn't once tried thinking to the little girl. Why? Was she that sure Skye had replaced her in the real world or was she just telling herself that to keep the awful truth from gnawing at her brain? What were May and Coulson doing? By now they knew what had happened and were probably frantic, and furious, that they couldn't follow her into program. Was Fitz sure this was the answer? Maybe he blocked her because restarting the laptop would end everything?

A soft rumble jostled the room, causing items on the desk to vibrate gently. Pens rolled to the floor and a coffee mug bounced across the surface. Daisy felt the tremor and grabbed the arms of the rolling desk chair she sat on, stopping it and the tremor at the same time. She looked at Phil and Melinda who looked at each other.

"Twice in one day," Phil shook his head, "has to be a record."

"Yeah," Daisy smiled weakly, "almost unheard of, huh?" She pulled back the power threatening to erupt. The feeling was weak, almost feather-like, but she knew it, recognized the soft buzz that filled her body. "We need to get out of here." She spoke just above a whisper.

"There's really nothing to fear," Phil assured her. "This is probably the safest place to be. The base is triple fortified for protection from just about anything."

 _'Unless it's already inside,'_ Daisy answered in her mind, _'big bombs and inhuman powers not withstanding.'_

But she answered, "Right, but I need to think. Can't we just go home?" Odd thing for Daisy to say, considering the only home she ever had was in fact this base…well, not this particular base but a Bus or a Playground or wherever the people she loved and cared about happened to be. Asking to go home was just weird to her, but she'd said it. "I'm pretty sure I need to be exactly where I was when this whole thing happened in order to put it back the way it was."

Okay, that wasn't a lie, not really. The last time this damn switcheroo happened she remembered Fitz instructing her to get to the exact spot she'd been when the transfer occurred. Why would this be any different? In any case, she'd get to have a little privacy in Skye's room and maybe try that thinking thing they did. Hell, it could work. Why wouldn't it?

"I…I don't think I feel very good." Now, that was a lie. "But even without growing up with a parent, she knew telling anyone you were sick usually got you what you asked for rather quickly. No one really wanted to deal with the product of being ill."

Melinda raised one brow and stepped closer, placing a hand on the girl's forehead then before Daisy could pull away she bent and touched her lips to the same spot. She took the girl's chin in her hand and raised her head to look in her eyes, then took a quick breath.

"She feels a little warm." She eyed the girl again. "Probably be a good idea to let her rest a little before we drive ourselves even more insane."

"Probably just stress," Daisy shrugged, thankful for the increase in her normal body temp then shivered off the memory of Melinda's lethal thermometer. "I'm sure there's no fever." She stood and held out both hands as she took a few steps backward. "I'm just worked up over all this, really." Telling Melinda she was feeling ill now seemed like a very bad idea.

"We'll have to deal with Agent Fox and her accusations." Phil reminded them. "Of course, we can keep a closer eye on her that way.

Melinda continued to scrutinize her adult child. Something was off. The girl looked different but she wasn't sure how or why. Stress was one thing but she was definitely more than a little warm. She stepped to the desk, snapped the laptop closed and tucked it under her arm. Grabbing Daisy's arm with the other hand she headed for the door then turned back to Phil.

"Guess it's home, then." He smiled as he followed them out the door.

xx

"Run it again," Jill Fox growled at the lab tech that stood in front of her holding a printed form.

"I've already run it four times, ma'am. Running it again is not going to change the results." The young man argued.

Fox let out a disgusted sigh and snatched the form from his hand. "This is impossible. There is no way in hell this is valid. What the hell are you people doing down there?" She shook the form in the man's face.

He grabbed it back and shook it at her. "I'm telling you this is the only result we've gotten. There is no mistake. The DNA on that glass and the tests we ran yesterday are exactly the same. Maybe the kid left the glass on the table. Maybe," he leaned forward almost nose to nose with Fox. "Maybe she's not even missing." He whispered.

Fox stepped back and glared at the man who jammed the piece of paper into her hand, turned and stormed away. She drew a deep breath and shook the form out and held it in front of her studying every line. There was no way the prints and samples on the glass she'd taken from the Coulson's table this morning were an exact match for the samples taken from that little girl's room.

"The kid left it there, my ass." She grumbled under her breath as she turned and walked toward her office.

She'd watched that smartass Daisy Agent Johnson suck down the last drop before she set it down. Hell, that was why she snatched it in the first place. What the hell was going on with these people? The kid disappears without a trace right under the grandfather's nose. The mother is hysterical one minute and a few hours later she's content as if she's got her child in her arms. And why was it so damn hard to find any information on that kid. Getting a copy of her birth certificate was like requesting classified documents. She wanted to see it because she did question whether the kid even existed. Something just didn't feel right about this whole thing.

Fox slammed the form down on her desk and stood back, drawing a deep breath. She had no use for this S.H.I.E.L.D. farce thing, whatever the hell it was. Secret some kind of government agency to protect whom from what, she wasn't even listening when they explained. She'd never heard of it and if it was that classified…oh hell! Her head was throbbing with the insanity of this whole thing.

Maybe that grandfather was the key. He was the one there when the kid disappeared. Maybe he had something to do with it. Maybe it was an accident and he just told the parents…no, the guy was truly upset but so was the mother.

Fox rubbed her temples. Other than the bedroom there was no trace of that kid other than what any kid would normally touch in any house in any neighborhood. There was toothbrush, a towel, school bag, boots and a jacket but nothing said the little girl left the house, not even a footprint in the freshly fallen snow. And that Johnson chick just happens to show up on the same day? Maybe she had the kid and used some espionage trick to transfer the kid's DNA to that glass without them noticing. Maybe she had something over the Coulsons and was holding the kid hostage to get some kind of information or cooperation or collusion of some kind. Maybe…

Damn, maybe she was losing her mind! Fox dropped into her chair and let her head fall back against the head rest. She closed her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. Tapping her fingers on her desk, she smiled, leaned forward and slammed her fist on the intercom button.

"Get the car," she barked to an assistant. "We're bringing Johnson in. I think it's time she and I spent a little one on one."

xx

Skye sniffled and pulled herself into Coulson's embrace as Dr. Simmons secured a bright pink band aid to the tiny spot of blood on the inside of her elbow.

"That wasn't so bad, now was it?" Jemma smiled at the little girl's pout. Skye nodded and Jemma smiled again. "Well, it's all over, so you can relax."

The little girl wiped the tears from her cheeks with the opposite hand and scooted even closer to her father while eying her mother who stood a few feet away. Jemma looked over her shoulder at May then picked up her instruments and the vial of blood she'd just drawn.

"I think I will get this to the lab and let you have a little family time." She nodded at Skye who suddenly looked as if she wanted to latch on to the doctor and disappear out the door with her. "I'm sure everything will work out fine." Jemma remarked, directing it at the little girl.

May waited until Jemma had closed the door then turned to Coulson and the child trying to disappear behind him. "Would you care to explain?" She narrowed her brows at Skye.

"I think I have to go to the bathroom." Skye answered, sliding to the edge of the bed where she sat next to Coulson.

May nodded toward the door a few feet from the bed. "Three minutes and I'm coming in to help." She told the child.

Skye nodded back and hurried to take care of her sudden need.

"Come on, May, give the kid a break." Coulson breathed, rubbing his hand together. "Don't you think she's been through enough?"

May shook her head and stared at the bathroom door. "I think she's caused enough mischief for one day. Damn it, Coulson she is definitely our Daisy." She almost smiled then pulled her ferocious face back into place as Skye slipped back into the room.

"I'm really sorry I lied to you." Skye rattled off quickly as she side-walked back to the bed, never taking her eyes from May. "I just…I was bored and I…"

May closed her eyes and Skye knew the look, or lack of it. No excuses for lying, that's what mommy always told her. Not that kind of lie, because she knew she exactly what she was doing. Not only that but she lied twice and then snuck off after being told not to go wandering around by herself, even if she did know where she was going. But they let her go to the computer room when they wanted to talk and that was all by herself. She didn't even tell them about going into the locker room or taking the bracelet.

No one even asked about it, accept Jemma when she told her she'd have to take some blood. She tried to make it all better by telling her what a beautiful bracelet it was and asking where she'd gotten it. Skye told her daddy had given it to her and somehow knew that really wasn't a lie. He did give it to her inside the box and she had to wear it or go away. For a minute she wondered what she'd done that was so bad Daddy would send her away but Jemma was taking out all that stuff she needed to suck blood out of her arm and she was ready to bolt.

Skye did run, right into Coulson's arms as he entered the room. He kept her calm and held her tightly as Jemma did what she had to do. It didn't make it hurt any less but Daddy holding her that closely always made it a little easier.

Now that seemed like the easier part of this whole situation. Facing Mommy after she'd done something she knew she shouldn't have was never ever pleasant and absolutely never easy even if Daddy was right there.

"I shouldn't have lied to you or to Jemma." She mumbled as she dropped her gaze to the floor and stood with her hands folded in front of her.

"No, you shouldn't have." May snarled.

"May," Coulson sighed as he reached out and pulled the little girl into his lap.

"I guess it's been a while since I've had to deal with this kind of behavior, hasn't it?" May asked the girl, ignoring Coulson's remark.

Skye shrugged. "I guess Daisy is a better listener."

May let out a soft snort. "So, tell me Skye, what do think I'd do if we were back at home." She asked the child.

Again the little girl shrugged and mumbled something unintelligible.

May leaned forward just a bit and turned an ear toward Skye. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear that."

"You'd give me a spanking, I guess." Skye mumbled a little louder, without looking up.

Now, Coulson stood and quickly pushed the little girl behind him. "Come on, May is that really necessary. She knows it was wrong and she already apologized."

May crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the little girl peeking around Coulson's waist. "Knew it was wrong and did it anyway. I'd say that was pretty deliberate, wouldn't you?"

"Okay, yes it was deliberate but she apologized." Coulson countered.

May looked at the man then at the girl and let out a sigh. "Maybe Skye and I should continue this discussion in private."

"Really, May?" Coulson tried again.

"That wasn't a suggestion," the woman spoke softly as she stepped aside giving him access to the door. "Unless you'd like to handle this yourself?" She raised one brow daring him to do so.

"There are better ways to make her understand." He argued further.

"Because talking to Skye always worked out so very well," May reminded him. He had no comeback for that.

"Please don't fight," Skye sniffled as she stepped from behind Coulson. "I'm not afraid, Daddy." She whispered as she looked up at him.

Coulson shook his head. "I can't just walk out and let you…"

"Oh, you are not letting me do anything, except showing our daughter the error of her ways." May explained calmly.

"I won't do it again." Skye offered contritely.

"No, you absolutely will not, but that isn't the issue is it?" May countered.

Skye shook her head. "No, it's about what I did not what I won't do in the future." She'd been through this before but it was worth a try.

May shook her head and stomped across the short distance to the bed. She snagged the little girl's hand and pulled her down to sit next to her on the bed. Skye let out a quick gasp and cringed in anticipation.

"I've had it with both of you." May snarled gently as she tapped the little girl's chest. "Do you realize the danger you put yourself in wandering around this place?"

Skye shook her head. "I knew where I was going. I knew it was Daisy's bunk and I just wanted to see where she lived."

"You could have just asked, angel." Coulson told her as she sat on her opposite side.

Skye swiped a finger under her nose and sniffed once. "I didn't think you'd let me and everybody was busy and I was bored."

"So you lied to everyone and just did what we told you not to do." May finished for the child.

Letting out a deep breath, Skye nodded. "I told Jemma I was sorry but I knew I'd be in big trouble."

"Absolutely," May agreed.

Coulson nodded. "You could have been hurt or gotten lost or…" He stopped himself, imagining all the things that could have happened. And if the worst occurred, would they lose Daisy too? "You can't just take it upon yourself to do whatever you want, Skye. It isn't safe."

"I know." The little girl nodded.

"But you did anyway," Coulson shook his head. "Even after you were told how we felt."

Skye shrugged and rubbed her new sneakers on the bare floor.

"I think this conversation is about to get very uncomfortable." Coulson's voice was more serious than Skye could remember. She looked at him once then quickly looked back to the floor.

"I'm already pretty uncomfortable." Skye sighed.

"We all are," May admitted. "I think the best thing to do right now is for you to stay right here while we take a little break. We all need to calm down before…" she hesitated, "well, before anyone does anything else."

Coulson nodded and stood. May stood as well and glared down at the little girl. "You stay right here, understand?"

At Skye's nod they turned and quietly left the room. Letting out a long sigh, the little girl dropped back and threw one arm over her eyes. Yep, she'd dodged that one…at least for now.

xx

Daisy lay on Skye's bed staring at the ceiling. Melinda had used one of those ear thermometer thingies to check her temp and found it a little higher than it should be. She'd given her a couple fever reducers and told her to rest then snagged the laptop and left the room. Daisy didn't really care because there was little she could do anyway and the privacy left her with an opportunity to try 'thinking'.

 _'Hey, kid? Ya there?_ ' She waited, listening or whatever you did when you waited for a thought. ' _Skye?'_ She tried again. After a few minutes she let out a long sigh.

It really was too much to ask for, even in this crazy whacked out world. She rolled to her side and let her eyes close. Maybe a little nap would help clear her head, not that it would help with the laptop or anything else, but right now she just needed to escape all the insanity.

 _'Daisy? Is that you? Where are you?'_ Skye's voice echoed in her mind as her eyes sprang open. ' _I can't see you or feel you. I just know your thinking to me. Do you know I'm thinking back?'_

 _'Skye,'_ Daisy wondered if her little self could hear the relief in her thought voice. _'Are you okay? Where are you?'_

 _'I'm here, here with your mom and dad at your broken place. Did you find the laptop?'_ Skye's thought voice sounded excited as well as a little apprehensive.

 _'I did. Are you okay?'_ Daisy repeated.

 _'For now,'_ Skye sighed. _'I'm in a lot of trouble. I think I'm really gonna get it when your mom gets back.'_

Daisy stifled a laugh, if it was even possible to think a laugh. She could just imagine young Skye pushing May to the end of her patience. _'She doesn't put up with a lot, kid.'_

 _'I gotta stay here in this room and wait for her to come back. Do you think she's gonna spank me? She said she was.'_ Skye fretted.

 _'May doesn't make idle threats, kid. What the hell, did you do?'_ Daisy asked, feeling much better that she could communicate with her younger self, even across the cyberverse. The fact the kid was in deep doo-doo meant she wasn't strapped to a gurney merely sleeping the time away.

 _'I lied a little bit.'_ Skye hedged.

Daisy laughed. _'How do you lie a little bit?'_

Skye shrugged. _'Well, maybe it was a lot but only two times cuz I was so bored.'_

 _'Lying's a big no-no with_ May.' Daisy sighed. _'She's not going to be happy, kid.'_

 _'She's already unhappy. Did you find the laptop, Daisy? Did you fix it?'_ Skye changed the subject.

 _'Yeah, I got it but there's a bit of a glitch. I need you to give Fitz a message.'_ Daisy told the girl.

 _'Is it broken? Does that mean I can't come home? What's gonna happen to me?'_ Skye was panicking.

 _'It's okay, kid. I've got this. You just need to tell Fitz to find the net nanny from Hong Kong and turn it off. He'll know what you mean.'_ Daisy decided not to say anything about the bracelet. How could the kid find it anyway? _'Tell him to check my locker. Got it? Can you remember all that?'_ Daisy waited for an answer. _'Skye?'_ She tried again but you can't really yell in your mind. Everything just sounds the same. _'Skye?'_

xx

Skye sat up quickly at the soft rap on the door. It opened before she stood so she merely sat on the edge of the bed.

May hit the sensor pad and waited for the door to slide closed before she stepped toward the child. Skye chewed her bottom lip and swallowed hard.

xx

Daisy sat up quickly at the hard rap on the door. It slammed against the wall before she stood so she jumped to her feet before the woman and two rather large men entered.

Melinda was a step behind them, rattling on in Mandarin but Daisy understood every word and none of them were repeatable.

"Daisy Johnson?" The pinched face woman with a much too tight hair bun asked but did not wait for an answer. "We're here to escort you to our office for questioning in regard to the disappearance of Skye Coulson." The two goons were already snapping cuffs on her wrists and tugging her in both directions at once. "Let's go." She nodded toward the door and watched as the two men half dragged the girl out.

Fox sneered at Melinda as she passed and nodded to two other men standing in the hall. "This one too," she smiled as one of them cuffed the woman. "You've got a lot of questions to answer as well, Mrs. Coulson." She looked around the little girl's bedroom. "Like why you've got someone you just met a day ago spending the night in your missing child's room when there's a perfectly good guest room just down the hall.

Melinda drew a breath and tempered her anger. She could take both these jerks, cuffs or no cuffs and then wipe the smirk off that bitch's face. She watched as the other two dragged Daisy down the stairs with Phil shouting obscenities while William tried to calm him and reassure his granddaughter.

Daisy looked over her shoulder, hoping Melinda would not do something they'd both regret. Sure the woman could stop these behemoths but she was no match for a bullet or two or six.

Melinda met her daughter's eyes and saw the plea there. She took a deep breath. She'd go along for now, but Fox was going to pay…dearly. She jerked her arm away from the agent holding it and followed her daughter down the stairs.

Daisy gasped as she watched another agent slide the laptop into an evidence bag. Fox didn't fail to notice.

"Seems that thing has a lot of interest to all of you. We'll be looking into it ourselves." She smiled a self satisfied smile. "We've got techs as well. No more secrets, Johnson." With a nod she told the men to take the girl away then turned to Phil and William.

"Don't think this ends here, gentlemen. I'm leaving a team outside and they'll be making sure you stay put." With a curt nod she marched out the door and grinned as Daisy and Melinda were pushed into separate vehicles and taken away. She took the laptop from the agent who had bagged it and grinned.

"No more secrets…"


	53. I Could Go on, Maybe Foolin Myself

**CHAPTER 53**

 **I Could Go on, Maybe Foolin' Myself**

 _'Daisy? Daisy, are you still there?'_ Skye's thoughts were soft and quiet. _'I don't know what you want me to tell Dr. Fitz. You gotta tell me again. I don't think there's a nanny here. Is that what you said?'_

Daisy tugged at the cuffs that held her to the heavy metal table in the interrogation room. She looked up at the mirror that she knew was two way and wondered if she was already being observed. Hell, nobody could hear you thinking and well it wasn't like talking to yourself. You can't really be considered crazy for just thinking to yourself. Even if yourself is just a kid…a reality away…and not even a real human. Oh well, inhuman wasn't uncommon to Daisy. She smiled at the imagined observer and rested her elbows on the table.

 _'It's not a real good time, kid.'_ She continued smiling at the mirror, picturing smug-faced Fox on the opposite side. ' _Things are a little sticky here right now. That damn laptop is more trouble than it's worth.'_ Daisy found herself whisper-thinking, like anyone could hear her. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, then laughed imagining what Fox thought of that action. Hell, even if she wasn't watching the camera in the corner was recording her every move. She'd see it eventually.

 _'Daisy,'_ Skye breathed a sigh of relief then changed her tone to a bit of excitement. _'You won't believe it, Daisy. I didn't get punished! Well, not like I thought anyway. I gotta stay here in this room til your mom tells me I can come out but, guess what…just guess! You'll never guess, not ever. She didn't spank me at all, not even one smack but she talked for a real long time in a real scary voice and told me if I didn't get my act together she'd kick my ass all the way back to where I belonged.'_ The little girl giggled a thought.

Daisy smiled. _'Don't say ass, kid.'_

 _'I didn't,'_ Skye giggled again. _'I just thinked it.'_

Daisy shook her head. She was glad May hadn't taken a hand to her little self although it did surprise her, but hell, Skye was just a little kid. Maybe she was afraid she'd hurt the kid or go a bit too far, after all Skye could be exasperating and Daisy wasn't really sure what the girl had done.

 _'Why's it sticky there? You mean like messy or like hot? Is it still winter there? It's still summer here._ ' Skye became a bit more serious.

 _'Sticky like there's a lot going on,'_ Daisy explained. _'It might take a while to get that program going. The laptop kinda got away from me.'_ She moaned.

 _'You lost it?!'_ Skye actually squeaked a thought.

 _'No I didn't lose it.'_ Daisy retorted. _'Someone took it.'_

 _'Stole it? You let somebody steal my laptop?'_ Skye sounded close to tears. _'Now I'll never get to use it.'_

 _'Nobody stole it, kid._ ' Daisy sighed. _'The police have it.'_

 _'Police?'_ Skye balked. _'Are you arrested?'_

Daisy pulled at the cuffs again and glared at the mirror. _'Not exactly, but it's looking very possible.'_

 _'What did you do? Were you hacking with my laptop?'_ Skye accused, sounding just like May in her thought.

 _'Of course not,'_ Daisy was appalled. _'You know it's not like anyone here isn't looking for you, kid. They think you've been kidnapped.'_

 _'Kidnapped, that's silly. I'm fine. Just tell them you're me.'_ Skye's solution was simple, ridiculous, but simple.

 _'That won't work, kid_.' Daisy huffed. _'They'll just think I'm whacko and locked me up anyway.'_

 _'Everyone here believes I'm you.'_ Skye pointed out calmly.

 _'Everyone there is aware of this whole crazy mess, not so much here.'_ Daisy shrugged. Skye didn't reply and the silence was chilling. _'Hey, kid, no worries. Your mom and dad…they know who I am. I mean they know I'm you and you're me. I told them you were okay.'_

 _'Is my mommy mad?'_ Skye's voice was quiet again.

 _'No, well not anymore,'_ she rubbed her thumb across the fine white scar on her opposite hand. _'She was pretty scared but she knows you're with m…May and you're fine.'_

 _'I really miss my mom, Daisy.'_ This time Daisy was sure she detected a sniffle in that thought.

Daisy thought very hard before she thinked back. She totally understood Skye's feelings. Melinda was a great mom, soft and affectionate, tough but understanding…definitely the perfect mom, but even with all of that she really missed May. It made her smile.

 _'I know how you feel kid, I miss my mom too and that's why you need to get that message to Fitz.'_ Daisy told her little self gently.

 _'What kind of nanny did you say she was?'_ Skye wondered.

Daisy sighed. She really didn't want to accuse Skye of something that would probably get her into more trouble and even have May carry through with her threat. No make that her promise…or better yet her fact because May didn't make threats or promises she just told you exactly what was going to happen. But, it was the only way.

 _'Skye,'_ Daisy began, trying not to sound suspicious. _'Did you find the silver bracelet in the wooden box?'_

The girl's hesitation pretty much told it all. _'The one in the locker…way in the back?'_

Like there was another, Daisy almost laughed out loud. _'Yep, that would be the one.'_ She smiled.

 _'I just wanted to see how it looked but it got little and now I can't get it off.'_ The sniffle was back. _'I wasn't stealing it. Don't be mad at me, Daisy.'_

 _'It's okay,'_ Daisy tried to calm the child. _'I guess it belongs to both of us so you can't really steal it. But it's a special kind of bracelet and it stops me from doing anything with computers so I need you to get it off.'_

 _'But, I can't_.' Now, Daisy was sure the kid was crying. _'It's stuck and I can't find a way to open it.'_

 _'Only Coul…Dad can get it off, kid. You gotta tell him what happened and he'll take care of it.'_ Daisy explained.

 _'I know.'_ Skye sobbed. _'But I'll have to tell them how I got it and I'll be in trouble again and mommy said…'_

Daisy frowned and shook her head. _'I know, kid, I know. But, it's the only way I can get the computer to work. It's the only way to get us home. Tell them I told you that.'_

 _'But you said you don't have it,'_ Skye sniffled again.

 _'I don't now, but I will soon.'_ Daisy assured her. _'So I need you to be…be brave enough to tell them what you did and take care of things on your side.'_ Daisy laughed. _'With any luck I'll have things fixed and have you back here before May can blister your butt.'_

Skye laughed a sniffly laugh. _'Then you'd be here so she'd blister yours instead.'_

Daisy couldn't help it. She laughed out loud. _'I'm pretty sure they're damn mad at me for this whole mess, kid, but I'm way beyond being taken over mom's knee.'_

Skye laughed back. _'You better hope, cuz she was pretty mad.'_

Daisy shivered with the thought of that damn Wakatta _. 'No worries,'_ she told Skye. _'You lose the bracelet and I'll take care of the rest.'_

"I'm glad you think this is so amusing, Johnson or whatever the hell your name is." Fox growled as she slammed open the door and marched into the room dropping a manila folder on the table just out of Daisy's reach.

xx

Skye tried a few times to get Daisy's attention but after a while figured they somehow got disconnected, kinda like a phone call. It was okay because eventually Daisy would think-talk to her again or she'd be able to do the same with Daisy. She looked at the bracelet on her wrist, spinning it around in a last ditch effort to find the clasp that would open it. The little girl could not imagine how it had solidified into one piece when she'd snapped it on through that opening. Of course it made no sense that it also now fit perfectly.

If she could get to Daddy she could explain to him and he'd be okay with it. He'd understand and just get it off. He would just talk to it and it would make that blippy blue noise and bink! it would come off in a snap, or an unsnap as the case was. She didn't know how she knew he would talk it off, but somehow it just seemed like something he would do with it. Of course she'd have to get to him first…no, first she'd have to get out of this room and that was impossible. Mommy had closed the door and put her hand over the sensor thing. It turned red so Skye knew it was locked. She wasn't going anywhere. But, this was their room so he'd have to come back sometime.

Skye laid back against the stack of pillows and held her wrist above her. She thought about Daisy because, well, Daisy was brave, a lot braver than she was but she was grown up too and didn't have to be afraid of that May-mommy yanking her across her lap and swatting her backside a billion times. Skye dropped her arm down on the mattress with a bounce and let out a long frustrated breath. Well, not a billion times, not really…maybe six or ten…but it would feel like a billion. And she didn't want any part of any amount. Telling Daddy about the bracelet would certainly put her in a lot of trouble…again. She wondered if he'd be mad.

"You've been lying to us all along!" Daddy's voice rang in her mind like something out of a terrible dream. She closed her eyes and wished it away. Mommy got mad a lot and she yelled and sometimes she just talked really slow and quiet and lots of times Skye felt the worst of it, but Daddy… He didn't get mad much so it was always worse and it made the little girl almost ache.

She rolled to her side and picked at the fuzz on the blanket. Maybe she could wait until morning. Daisy didn't say what time it was back home so it could be night and nobody could do anything until it was morning anyway. She closed her eyes and pictured how mad Daisy's mom had been and how she used that scary quiet voice to yell at her and tell her just exactly what would happen the _next_ time. She swallowed hard at the thought. May didn't even said _if_ , she said when it happened again, like she knew it would.

Skye snuggled into the pillow and smiled at how it smelled like Daddy. She closed her eyes and thought about being home, in her own bed and Daddy kissing her goodnight.

She didn't remember falling asleep.

xx

"I'm done screwing around with you Johnson. It's time we got serious." Fox growled as she jammed her index finger against the table.

Daisy smirked at the fool. She shook her head and sat back against the uncomfortable chair. "Sorry, you're just not my type." She snickered.

Fox glared, but ignored the snide comment. She dropped into the chair on the opposite side of the table and flipped open the file. She pulled a photo of Skye from it and slid it across the table. "Twenty four hours ago that little girl disappeared pretty much at the same time you showed up."

Daisy tapped her finger on the photo that appeared to be one of those goofy school shots. She'd had plenty taken as she traipsed through the school system. She wondered where they ended up, since no one was ever very interested in purchasing one. This one wasn't too bad, except for the missing tooth. It was on the top, right side and Daisy remembered telling everyone it got knocked out in a fist fight. Truth was it just fell out. She smiled and wondered if Skye tucked the tooth under her pillow. Naw, sure she did and the Cyber-Coulsons probably allowed the Tooth Fairy to leave a generous donation. Daisy just flushed it when it wriggled loose in the girl's lavatory.

"Nothing?" Fox smiled. "You got nothing? Because I've got this kid's mother down the hall and she's got a lot to say."

Daisy looked from the photo to the frustrated agent across from her. Stupid move, she thought. Nobody would ever break Melinda May in any reality. It didn't even deserve a snort.

Fox stood and walked across the small room, stopped at the mirror and then turned back, leaning against it. "So tell me how you did it?" She smiled like she already knew something.

Daisy smiled the same smile right back. "You'll have to be a little more specific."

Fox stormed back to the desk and pulled two forms from the file then slammed them down on the table in front of the girl. "Care to explain this?" She snarled, slamming her hands down on the forms once again before she stood back.

Without reacting to the agent's dramatics, Daisy leaned forward and glanced at the forms. "Little archaic, but I'd say they were some kind of forensic reports." She flicked both back to the agent with the fingers of her still cuffed hands.

"Cute, Johnson. You always such a smartass?" Fox sneered.

Daisy laughed as she sat back. "That's what they tell me." She grinned and leaned closer crooking a finger for the agent to lean in as well. When she did Daisy whispered, "got it from my dad."

Fox paused for a moment, let out a disgusted breath then picked up the forms and examined them for a moment. "What do you think Melinda Coulson will say when she sees these?" She dropped them down again, pushing them back toward the younger agent.

Daisy paused for a second. She'd never heard May called by that name. It sounded weird. Nope, even married she'd still be May, Melinda May. "I think she'll say you need to update your labs. You know, catch up with the rest of technology, maybe request a little increase in your budget." She grinned at the woman.

"Cut the shit, Johnson." Fox slammed both hands on the table and stood, knocking the chair backward and to the floor. "Explain how you managed to replace the kid's DNA with your own?" Fox spat.

Daisy leaned forward and glanced at the forms again, this time a bit longer. "Hmmm, they do look alike, but science is really not my forte." She scrunched up her face and looked up at the agent. "Maybe your techs got things mixed up or…" she sat back again and sighed, "that outdated equipment of yours screwed up the results."

"Got a smart ass answer for everything, don't you?" Fox snapped. She turned and looked to the mirror than spun back to Daisy. "We're going to repeat this test," she tapped at the form then looked up as the door opened and a young man in a white lab coat entered. "This time with a sample right from the horse's mouth." She gleaned a smirk look as the tech moved toward Daisy with his rather large cotton swab.

xx

Phil paced the length of the living room occasionally stopping to peer through the sheer curtains at the dark car parked in the driveway. He'd seen at least two agents lurking across his property, the tell tale prints in the snow were hard to miss. A few minutes after Melinda and Daisy were escorted from the house another agent confiscated his phone and reminded him that all the land lines had been tapped in order to trace any call from a person who may have taken Skye. Phil's jaw ached from clenching it so tightly.

His wife and grown daughter were whisked away without explanation and every agent who now prowled the Coulson residence seemed to suspect him and Melinda of some kind of conspiracy. Fox had not trusted their explanation of Daisy right from the start. Even if he wasn't aware of Daisy's identity he was appalled at the fact that anyone would suspect him or Melinda of harming their child. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a frustrated breath.

William entered the room carrying a tray with two cups of steaming liquid. He set it on the table and motioned for Phil to sit. Shaking his head, Phil continued to pace.

"I'm not one for tea," he smiled weakly at his father-in-law.

"I am well aware of your preference, Phillip." William grinned as he dropped a sugar cube into one cup and stirred it gently. He nodded toward the cup a second time. "Pacing will do no more than to wear a track in the carpet. I do not think Mellie will approve." He almost laughed at the last statement, then took a small sip of very hot tea.

Phil dropped to the sofa, resting his elbows on his knees and his face on his hands. He scrubbed both down his face and stared at the opposite wall. "Damn it. How did this get so out of hand? We should have seen this coming, should have solved it before it got this far. Damn that laptop!"

"It is not logical to blame an inanimate object for these troubles, Phillip, although no person is to blame either. This is merely a series of events no one could foresee or prevent." William spoke much too calmly, adding to Phil's agitation.

He dropped his hands and bit his tongue. This was no time to start an argument he could not win. Instead he turned his anger to the tight-assed FBI agent who'd dragged away his family.

"Fox has overstepped her authority, trapping us here. If nothing else, I should be able to contact legal to represent Melinda and Daisy." He tried unsuccessfully to keep the growl from his voice.

William set down his cup and frowned before responding. "Yet, your Agent Fox did not claim to place either Melinda or Daisy under arrest. She merely said they were to be questioned…probably at length." He shook his head. "This will not set well with Melinda. I feel Agent Fox may regret her decision. Melinda can have a very unladylike temper." He smiled at the look Phil gave him then continued. "But it is much more appropriate than that of her mother."

"Lian?" Phil breathed, remembering the stoic woman was to arrive this morning.

"I'm sure she will see to it that what is right will be done for both her daughter and granddaughter." He smiled as he picked up his cup and sipped again.

"How…" Phil tried to ask as his jaw dropped.

William smiled widely. "My wife and I have many ways to communicate, Phillip, as I know you and my Mellie do. She will surely make Agent Fox see the error of her ways." He smiled again as he nodded toward the second cup on the tray. "Your coffee will be much more enjoyable if you take it while it is still hot."

Phil nodded slowly and reached for the cup.

xx

Melinda paced the small interrogation room, glaring at the large mirror on the wall. If there was anyone watching she was intent on making them aware of her extreme irritation. Twice she'd stopped herself from simply kicking the two-way glass into a million shards and decking the anyone who sat on the opposite side.

But, she had no idea where they'd taken Daisy or just what that ass Fox was doing with her. Hell, this was the FBI. They were supposed to be the good guys. Weren't they all on the same team? Who the hell did this Fox person think she was and what did she have against the young agent? Fox had been out to get Daisy from the moment they met. Now, she'd found a reason to drag them both here. How dare that bitch think she would ever do anything to harm her child? How dare she think she'd let anyone else do the same?

She tried taking small measured breaths to quell her anger but her fists clenching and unclenching were counteracting her attempt. Eventually someone would open that door and be hit with her full fury. She hoped it would be Fox. Oh, how she love to place one, just one punch, right in that woman's jaw and watch as she crumbled to the floor. Melinda actually smiled at the mental picture. Unfortunately, when the door did open it was not Agent Fox, merely one of her minions.

"Sorry to keep you waiting so long, Mrs. Coulson." The man smiled a fake smile without looking up from the file he was perusing. "Please have a seat." He motioned toward the table, again without looking up.

"Where's Daisy?" Melinda snarled through her teeth, catching a quick glimpse at the armed guards outside the door before he pulled it shut.

He looked up for the first time, again with the plastered-on smile. "Agent Johnson?" He asked as if he wasn't sure they were one and the same.

Her narrowed eyes were the only response.

"Yes, well, of course, Agent Johnson," now he seemed a little less sure of himself as he pulled out a chair and again motioned for her to sit. "She's speaking with Agent Fox right now." He waited a moment for her to comply then walked around the table when she did not. The man dropped into the only other chair in the room and became very interested in his file once again.

'Speaking, my ass…' Melinda thought to herself as she folded her arms over her chest and rested her weight on one foot.

He smiled that damn pseudo-smile at her again then quickly looked away. Picking up the file he tapped it on the desk a few times then laid it down and flipped it open again. Melinda smiled to herself. This guy was pitiful.

"Just a few questions and we can wrap this up…" Melinda could see the sweat forming on his fake cool brow. She gave no response.

He looked up again, having much more difficulty keeping that smarmy smile in place. "Can you tell me the exact date of Skye Coulson's birth?" He cleared his throat a little and she thought he might cough.

"No," Melinda grunted without batting an eye.

He stared at her for a beat, cleared his throat a little harsher and pulled a pen from his shirt pocket. He tapped it on the table a few times. "You don't know your child's birth date." It was a statement not a question.

She moved close to him and watched as his foot bounced under the table. She bent to his ear and whispered, "I know the exact second my child was conceived and I have no intention of telling you a damn thing."

The agent took a quick breath as she backed away and smiled at the bead of sweat that ran down his temple. "Cooperation will make this go a lot faster and easier." He remarked in a voice a little higher than it had been.

Melinda walked away turning only her head to glance over her shoulder at him. "For which of us?" she smirked.

He stared for a moment then picked up the folder and tapped it on the table again before setting it down and pulling out another form. "How…" he stopped to clear his throat. "How long have you known Agent Johnson?"

'All her life…' Melinda laughed to herself. "What time is it?" She shot back.

Her question took him off guard, especially since the large clock that hung on the wall was directly in front of her. He glanced at it. "Half past nine," he replied.

"Twenty-two hours and thirty-three minutes…it's nine twenty-seven," Melinda stated matter-of-factly.

The agent met her gaze with a blank stare. What the hell did that mean? "You never met the agent before yesterday and yet she seems to know more about your child than you do."

Melinda merely stared back. What was this fool getting at? "Do you have any idea how much your agency might know about you…" She half smiled at him. "…or your family?"

His eyebrows arched just a smidge and she knew something had clicked. "Got any skeletons in your closet?" She drove the knife in farther.

It took him a bit longer to collect his senses this time as he fished two forms from the file he forgot to tap and laid them side by side on the table. "Can you explain this?" He nodded toward them.

Without looking, Melinda replied. "No." She didn't look. She didn't care.

"Then let me." He sighed. "The one on the right is the result of the DNA testing we did on the samples taken from the toothbrush and other items we took from your child's bedroom." He waited for her to turn and look then continued when she did not. "The left is a sample from a glass we took from your home this morning. A glass that our agents saw Agent Johnson drink from and set on the table minutes before we obtained it."

Melinda still did not react or turn to face the fool.

"Don't you think it's just a little beyond impossible that the samples are an exact match?" Again she waited for the reaction that did not come.

"I think your data is full of shit." She growled without turning around.

"Evidence doesn't lie…" he began.

She spun on him, jamming the table so hard she pushed him across the floor and pinned him between it and the wall. "Evidence! Evidence? What the hell kind of evidence are you looking for?" Melinda directed the question not only to the moron agent but those peering through the glass from the other side. "And how is any of this farce helping to find my child? You," she pointed at the agent now gasping for short breaths as the table pressed against his chest. "All of you," she looked directly into the two way mirror, "are hindering this investigation much more than helping. Agent Johnson is probably…no is definitely the only person who can and will bring Skye back to me." She drew a sharp breath and spoke through her teeth. "If just one of you puts that in jeopardy I will bring down this whole building." She shoved the table one more time earning a groan from the agent behind it then surrendered to the two agents that had stormed into the room seconds before. A second pair helped the original agent to his feet and out the door.

xx

In the room opposite the area where Melinda Coulson was having what Fox equaled to an adult temper tantrum, the lead FBI agent grit her teeth. These people were good and had no intention of giving her the least information. The doctored DNA samples were enough to hold both of them. Melinda's attack on her agent just gave her more ammunition. Assaulting an FBI agent held penalties of its own, as did threatening one and since that attack in New York the cause relating to holding someone make such terrorist threats had lessened greatly. Agent Fox, despite all appearances, was a very patient woman and she could hold these two as long as it took.

"Ma'am," a young agent's voice interrupted her train of thought.

She let out a long frustrated breath and turned toward the young woman, asking her to continue with only a glance.

"There is a woman from the Company here to see you, ma'am. And she is not taking no for an answer." The girl shook her head as she stood in the open doorway.

"Damn," Fox muttered under her breath. "Now what?" She stormed toward the door and stopped before passing the other agent. "You tell those idiots to keep those two locked up. No one talks to them. Do I make myself clear?" She did not wait for a reply.

A few minutes later Agent Fox threw open the door to her office and marched inside without noticing the small Asian woman who stood before her desk. She dropped into her chair and looked up at the woman glaring at her.

"What can I do for you Agent…" she looked at the small card on her desk, "Xie, Agent Xie. What could be so important you would drag yourself down to my level?"

"Do not flatter yourself, Fox. I am not here for you to do anything but release my agents to me and discontinue your witch hunt." Lian May stated with no emotion, but massive authority. "And it is Special Agent, Fox."

Fox dropped her hands to the desk and stared open-mouth for a second before pulling it back together. "The CIA has no authority here, Xie." She spit out the name like a bad taste. "In fact you have no authority anywhere on domestic soil."

"That is true." Lian almost smiled. "And were I CIA, I would not be standing here giving you this directive."

Fox looked at the card she held again. Other than the woman's name, if that was even her name, and a logo she did not recognize there was no agency. She flicked it across the desk blotter. "I suppose you have more identification than that." She nodded at it with a short huff.

"I do not but I am sure the call you are about to receive will more than suffice as proof of my authority." Lian deadpanned.

Before Fox could reply the phone on her desk twittered. Lian nodded toward it without breaking eye contact with the agent. It twittered twice and again before she turned to it.

"It would not be wise to ignore this very important call." Lian stated calmly.

Fox wanted to point out that the call could be bogus, just set up by Xie, but she could not take the chance. Instead she let out a frustrated huff and snatched the receiver from the cradle. "Fox," she barked into it. She turned away from the smug look on Lian's face. "Yes, sir…" her voice lost its edge. "Of course sir…no, sir…nothing, nothing sir…only suspicions, sir…I understand…yes, sir…thank you, sir…" Lian listened to the one sided conversation, standing still in the same spot she had occupied since this began.

The woman turned back and glared at Lian for a second before punching a button on the phone without replacing the receiver in the cradle. "I want Johnson and Coulson in my office now." She barked at the person unlucky enough to answer.

"There is the matter of the laptop you have seemed to taken without a proper warrant." Lian reminded her.

"And have someone get to tech and bring that damn laptop as well." She slammed the receiver back down without waiting for an answer. The woman took several breaths before narrowing her eyes at the small but obviously powerful woman that stood across her office. "Who the hell are you, Xie? Who the hell has the Director of National Intelligence in their pocket?"

Lian smiled half a smile. "I neither have pockets nor room for others to find comfort there. I do however look after all of my agents, and my subordinates are quick to follow my orders to protect the same." She moved for the first time since their conversation began, turning toward the door and placing a hand on the knob.

"You aren't going to wait for them?" Fox inquired, narrowing her eyes.

"I trust you will not take the risk of disregarding this exchange. There will be a car waiting for both Agent May and Agent Johnson at the rear entrance. "Please do not make me return to this matter, Agent Fox. It will not be a wise choice." Without waiting for a reply the small woman pulled open the door and disappeared into the hustle of activity in the hallway.

xx

"Hey, kiddo," Coulson's voice was soft as he gently jostled the little girl snoozing on his bed. "Come on, Skye, wake up. It's almost supper time." He brushed the hair from her face and patted her leg.

Skye woke slowly, bringing herself from some silly dream about riding her bike to school through the snow without any shoes. She rolled to her back and rubbed her eyes with both hands. Yawning once she dropped her arms to her sides and smiled at Coulson.

"Hi, daddy," her voice was a little raspy.

"Hi, angel," he smiled back. "Thought you'd want to join us for supper. It's spaghetti night, always Daisy's favorite."

Skye yawned again and pulled herself up to sit next to Coulson. "Me too," she smiled sleepily, then rubbed her eyes again. She stood and stretched then turned to the man who still sat on the edge of the bed. "Did mommy say it was okay? Because she told me I had to stay here until she said I could leave."

Coulson shook his head. "I don't think that meant you couldn't eat, Skye. May wouldn't let you starve."

Skye shrugged and brought her hands together in front of her brushing her fingers against the bracelet that still encircled her wrist. She thought for a moment remembering Daisy's request. "Daddy?" She began, sheepishly. He answered by raising his brows. Skye chewed her lip for a moment and covered the bracelet with her opposite hand. "Do you tell mommy everything?"

Coulson paused before answering. It was certainly a loaded question. He let out a little breath through his nose. "She's probably the only one that knows pretty much everything I do." He smiled at the truth of the statement. May was his closest confidant. He would share anything with her and trust she would never reveal a thing.

The little girl frowned. "What if I asked you to keep a real important secret cuz it meant life or death?" She asked with wide eyes.

He almost laughed but realized she was serious. "I don't think there's a secret I couldn't trust your mom with, angel, and if it meant life or death she would definitely be the person I would need to tell." This was getting a little more serious and this little imp was trying to tell him something she was not comfortable telling. "Is there something we need to talk about, Skye?" he tried not to sound too fathery.

Skye shrugged and looked at the floor. "I think I did something dumb." She mumbled.

This time he did let out a soft snort. "Join the club, kiddo. It's part of being human." _'And apparently,_ _inhuman,'_ he thought to himself.

"Yeah, but this was super duper dumb and if mommy finds out I'm gonna get super duper punished cuz she said, next time…" Skye sighed.

Coulson placed a hand on top of hers. "Why don't you just tell me what happened and then we'll decide if your mom needs to…" he paused and looked into her very expectant eyes. "Well, let's just get through it first."

Skye bit her bottom lip and knit her brows. "She wasn't really sure about this but it was probably her only chance to come clean. "I kinda went exploring when you told me to get the doctors to come for breakfast." She spoke very quietly, without looking him in the eye.

"Wondered what took you so long," Coulson nodded as he folded his hands on his lap. He stared at the floor the same way the little girl did and let a few seconds tick by before continuing. "Find anything interesting?" He wondered out loud.

The little girl shook her head. "It's kinda crummy here," she breathed, "and dirty and most stuff is stuck or broken so it isn't easy."

"Nope," Coulson agreed still looking at the floor. "I think you would have liked the base before all this…wreckage." He used the best adjective he could imagine for the condition of their living quarters. "We thought we might make repairs but I think we're going to have to find a new place before this one just falls down around us."

Skye looked up quickly, suddenly fearful. Coulson realized what he'd said and reassured her. "You don't have anything to worry about, kiddo." He placed a hand on her back and rubbed back and forth. "I was just exaggerating. We're safe for now."

The child drew a deep breath and exhaled. "Not all the doors are stuck. Some are broken right off and the rooms are just all apart." Skye shook her head, "but not all of them."

"Mmm, hmm," Coulson nodded. "And you found one of them?"

Skye nodded, suddenly the bracelet felt like ice under her palm. "I just wanted to see…a little."

"And you went in," He finished for her, digging his teeth into his bottom lip as he nodded. She nodded without looking at him. "Skye, you know how dangerous that is. We talked about that."

"But, I checked…" she defended herself. "It wasn't all broke and the ceiling was still up and the door was just opened." It came out in a long whine.

Coulson shook his head and let out a breath. "Still Skye, you were warned about the dangers and we trusted you to follow those orders." He regretted the term immediately and waited for a reaction that didn't come.

Shrugging again, Skye went on. "It was kind of a locker room and most of them were stuck or all bent. I just wanted to see." She side glanced at Coulson then squeezed her eyes shut at his look of disappointment. That was hundreds of times worse than being mad. It made her feel worse that being scared. The little girl took a quick breath and swiped at tears that were threatening to fall. "I didn't steal it. I just wanted to see how it looked and then it got stuck and I got scared cuz I had to get back and I didn't want you to be mad and then I forgot and nobody said anything and then Daisy said I had to…" She raced through her explanation losing her battle with her tears.

"Whoa, whoa…" Coulson drew out the word and took the little girl by the shoulders as she turned toward her and babbled on with her story. "Slow down, Skye. Take a breath, kiddo."

Skye snapped her mouth shut, bringing her lips inside and held them with her teeth. She nodded as the tears that filled her eyes ran over her cheeks. She deep breaths though her nose and released them in the same manner. It wasn't how mommy had shown her to calm her breathing but if she let go of her lips she would just start all over and be sobbing and crying and just a big mess.

Coulson watched and breathed along with the child, rubbing his hands up and down her too thin biceps. He nodded and wordlessly encouraged her for a few moments until she finally began exhaling through her mouth. "Better?" He asked softly. She nodded and took one last very deep breath.

"I'm really sorry, Daddy." She couldn't help crying. "I messed it all up and Daisy lost the laptop and she can't get it to work cuz of the King Kong nanny and I have to tell Fitz and I don't know how to get it off. And Daisy's mad at me and you are all sad at me and mommy's gonna kill me."

Coulson listened, nodding his head with his mouth open and brows furrowed. He heard every word and understood nothing. With little else to do he pulled her into a hug, muffling the remainder of her crazy story. "Shhh, shhhh," he comforted and kissed the top of her head and smiled. "Mommy is not going to kill anyone, especially you."

"But it won't come off, daddy…" Skye's voice was muffled within his embrace.

"It's okay, Skye. Whatever it is, we'll fix it?" He assured her.

Skye drew a breath and turned her head, sniffled and raised her arm to show him. "There's no opening. It won't open."

Coulson took the girl's arm and blinked at the non-descript bracelet. It could be. He hadn't seen it since he released from Skye's wrist how many years ago. "Where…" he couldn't even form the question.

"I found it in Daisy's locker in a little wooden box." She sobbed. "I…it just got stuck and now everything is all messed up cuz a me."

Coulson frowned at the little girl, took her hand in his and pulled it toward him. "Disengage bracelet," he remarked softly. The bracelet bleeped softly as an iridescent blue light ran its circumference before it snapped open and fell into his other hand. He dropped it into his pocket and raised a brow at the girl. "I think I'll keep this for now."

Skye's eyes and mouth went wide. "You just told it to come off?" She pulled back her wrist and stared as the comment came out in a squeaky sob.

Coulson stood and put out a hand. "Let's go, kiddo. I think we have a lot to talk about."

Skye took his hand and followed, pulling him to a stop before reaching the door. "Wait, who do we need to talk to? It's all fixed now."

He looked down at her with his most serious glance. "I'm pretty sure all of this is pretty important to Fitz and the others. Don't you?"

"But mommy's gonna…" She pulled him back as he took another step.

"We will all talk about this Skye, but I'm afraid if there's a consequence…" he squeezed her hand and frowned. "I'll do my best, kiddo, but…" he shook his head.

Skye shook her head, let out a shaky breath and followed Coulson into the hall.

xx

Daisy did her best to resist the large agent that dragged her from the room and down the hall, cuffs snapped behind her back. She'd tested her powers and found them damn weak. She barely moved the chair a few inches before it stopped completely. This brute was lucky because she'd had it and tossing his across the wide hallway was the least she imagined doing.

He almost tossed her in the elevator and just grinned as she bounced her shoulder painfully off the wall. He slammed the button marked 'B' then turned and gave her a snide smile. Daisy watched as the numbers descended and wondered just what awaited her in the basement. Visions of her time in the Framework caused her to shiver, but this was the FBI not some HYDRA stronghold…she hoped. Damn, what if that crazy robitch did get in here and was exacting her revenge. She involuntarily gasped as the door opened, revealing a long dimly lit grey hallway and two more very large bullish agents. They gave the first a curt nod and each took one of her arms dragging her out of the lift and toward whatever awaited.

Daisy Johnson did not cry…well, not for this but the thought of what might happen chilled her. What if they beat the living crap out of her? Would Skye feel it on the other side of the cyberverse? Where the hell was May…no, Melinda, where was Melinda? She tried her powers again, hoping the cuffs with release with the little shake she could muster. Even without being able to quake the place she was sure she could hold her own with these guys…but Melinda…she had no idea…

The agents shifted directions and yanked her down another hallway toward what really looked like a blast door. It opened before they were ten feet from it revealing a ramp that apparently lead outdoors. She could see the sunlight reflecting on the glossy finish.

The marched her up the ramp and stopped as a long black car with dark windows pulled forward and stopped. She looked from one gorilla to the other and tried to pull her arms free. Surprisingly, one yanked her forward while the other loosened the cuffs and pulled them off. Before she had a chance to react, the same guy pulled open the car door and the first pretty much tossed her inside.

Daisy tumbled onto the back seat, sending another presence immediately. She pulled herself back as the door slammed behind her, and raise her fists in defend.

"Hold it!" A familiar voice commanded as a strong hand grabbed and held her wrist.

Daisy blinked twice. "May?" she wasn't sure or was she. "Mom…it's Mom…" It was definitely Melinda who smiled as she released the girl's arm and sat back against the black leather seat. "How? What?" She started as the car's ignition came to life and the vehicle began moving. "Where are they taking us now?" She finally completed a question.

Before Melinda could answer a small dark panel slid open above the seat in front of them. "Phillip and William will be glad to see you both." A familiar voice remarked without sentiment. "I believe you have some work to do Agent Johnson." She slipped the now very familiar unicorn decorated laptop through the opening. "I expect to tuck my young granddaughter into her bed this evening."

She raised one brow and motioned for Daisy to take the device.


	54. Believing Isn't Easy to Do

**Chapter 54**

 **Believing Isn't Easy to Do**

Daisy took the laptop and blinked a few times at the sight of her grandmother complete with the same dark aviators her mother sported… her May-Mother. Melinda seemed a little more domesticated…sometimes. She set the device on her lap and continued to stare at her own reflection on those shades.

"Well, you have it. What are you waiting for?" Lian jerked her chin toward the girl, her mouth set in what Daisy felt was a permanent scowl. For a second the words 'your face is gonna freeze like that' drifted across her mind. Wow, how many times had she been told that and geez here was grandma May and yep, her face froze like that. Daisy could not look away even with the elbow Melinda had jammed into her ribcage.

Lian spoke to her daughter without taking her eyes from the younger agent. "Are you sure about this one, Melinda? Perhaps you have put too much faith in the girl." She didn't shake her head but it was certainly the kind of think someone with 'tsk-tsk' to while frowning and wagging their noggin, but Lian May simply stared, or glared as the case was.

"Daisy," Melinda prodded, elbowing the girl again. "Daisy," she commanded.

Almost instinctively, Daisy turned to Melinda's voice and let out the breath she was holding. She looked down at the laptop and suddenly shook off the shock of her grandmother liberating them from those over zealous FBI creeps. She donned a weak smile and fumbled with the lid of the device, finally flipping it open on her lap. Hitting the on button she waited for the soft vibration against her legs that would tell her it was booting, but it remained still and cold. She picked it up and checked to be sure it had not been tampered with or had anything removed, of course there was no way to visually inspect the outside of the device for anything that might have been up or downloaded. She set it back gently on her knees and let out a soft sigh.

"It's dead." She exhaled in frustration.

"Dead?" Melinda repeated. "As in it's done, inoperable?"

"I believe the girl means the battery has depleted." Lian scowled.

Daisy looked up at her grandmother and nodded. Wow, the old lady knew her stuff. "I have a power cord at the house," she almost whispered, so in awe of the woman who gave birth to the woman she emulated. "It will take a while to charge." She finished.

"Then we will wait. Do not disappoint me, sunnu." Lian remarked coldly as she snapped the sliding window shut.

Daisy's jaw dropped then snapped shut as she softly closed the laptop.

xx

"Stay far enough away that you are not made." Fox growled to the man driving the older model sedan that crept along the highway a few cars behind the large stretch limo.

The man nodded and slowed enough for two cars to pass.

"I don't give a damn who she is or who Coulson has in her pocket. I'm gonna find out what they did with that kid and put them all away for a very long time."

The man nodded, without a word and concentrated on keeping his sight on the long black car.

xx

"May, you told her the _next_ time and technically, this happened before you even had the conversation so it really isn't a next time." Coulson smiled as the little girl peeked from behind him.

May let out a frustrated growl. He was right. Skye committed this bit of insubordination before she stated what would happen should she step out of line one more time. She shook her head and glared at him for a moment. "Technically, you're right." Skye let out a sigh of relief. "But this is an all together different situation and technically not part of the conversation we had. Is it?" She almost smiled as the child quickly ducked behind her father.

"I think this is part of the 'go directly to the computer room and come directly back' deal we made and the 'stay out of any room because it's too dangerous' caveat as well." May's eyebrow rose as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Coulson did smile. "Come on, May, she's just a kid. She's curious and this place…well, it just begs to be explored." He attempted to make a case for his little girl.

"Mmm, hmm," May snorted. "And just look where it's got us."

"You can't just be mad at me." Skye spoke for the first time, still well hidden behind her father. "Daisy lost the computer anyway, so it couldn't work and I didn't know it was a computer stopper thing."

At May's eye roll, Coulson added, "she's got a point, there. She didn't know what it was and just tried it on, technically it is hers or it will be or it is…" He closed his eyes and shook his head before continuing. "In any case, the problem is solved." He pulled the bracelet from his pocket and held it out to May. "It won't be causing anymore trouble."

May stepped to the side and glared at Skye, who quickly stepped farther to her right, holding tightly to Coulson's belt loops. "I don't think it's the bracelet we have to worry about. It seems we have our own little trouble maker."

"I said I was sorry." Skye whispered.

"Damn it, Skye." May threw her arms in the air. "Sorry just doesn't cut it every time you disobey an order. What if…" She stopped herself, not even allowing the hundreds of scenarios that could have befallen this little girl to run through her mind.

"Look, May, nothing bad happened. She's safe and hopefully Daisy's got the computer back and we can make everything right." Coulson almost begged, pulling the little girl around his side to stand in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She clasped her hands over his.

May let out a long breath and paced away from them then turned and briskly walked back. She pointed a finger at the little girl. "Until Daisy fixes that damn laptop you will not leave my sight. Is that clear?" Skye nodded quickly. "Rúguǒ nǐ zàicì yù dào máfan, nǐ de pìgu jiāng shì zǐsè de. Nǐ míngbái ma?¹" May finished in Mandarin knowing the girl would understand but Coulson would not.

Skye swallowed hard. This mom didn't make threats either. She bowed her head toward the floor and mumbled, "shì de, māmā, wǒ míngbái.²"

May waited for a beat then gave a quick nod. "Good, now go have your supper before it's cold."

"Yes, ma'am," Skye breathed as she slipped out from under Coulson's arms and hurried across the hallway to the com room where Fitz and Jemma were already seated at the table.

Coulson and May could see all of them through the large glassless windows. For a few minutes they were silent, each collecting their thoughts as May released the last of her anger. He waited until he knew she was ready then held out a hand for her to go first. She sneered at him for a moment before taking a step. He was right behind.

"Purple? Really, May?" He crinkled his brow and shook his head. "That's a little extreme, don't you think?"

She turned back and narrow eyed him. "Mandarin, Coulson? Since when?"

"Oh, I met a girl once and wanted to make an impression," he smiled at the back of her head. "Can't pronounce a damn syllable but, I understand enough to get by."

"Hmph," May smirked. "Probably be more of a hot pink, but she doesn't need to know that."

Coulson shook his head as he followed his partner across the hall to join their little family.

xx

Phil and William had spent the morning and most of the afternoon sweeping the house. William felt it might be a good idea to find out just was Agent Fox might be looking for and how she knew as much as she did. Phil immediately agreed. He would have thought of it himself if he weren't so concerned about his family. It took very little time for them to locate at least six listening devices on the first floor and another five on the second. The little microphones were even in the bathrooms and one was slipped discriminately under Skye's bed. Each one was meticulously plucked from its hiding place and put into a plastic leftover container with a very airtight lid.

William volunteered to scan the basement rooms while Phil did a second on the first and second floor. This time both looked into even more discreet places where the little bugs could be hidden. Phil was appalled to find one between the headboard and mattress of the bed he shared with his wife. These people had no shame.

Both men returned to the kitchen at the same time. William deposited three devices into the dish while Coulson added two more before he snapped the lid back into place. He shook his head and looked at the dish while speaking to his father-in-law. "I don't think we'll find anymore without some kind of detector. I'm afraid to call the office. They've probably got every line bugged."

"Not every one," Lian growled as she strolled into the kitchen and tossed a phone to Phil. "That one is clean, but I do not think you will find it necessary." She stepped aside as Melinda entered behind her followed by Daisy with the elusive laptop tucked under one arm.

"I need the power cord." The girl announced before greeting anyone. She moved quickly to the small alcove and smiled at the little black plug that poked out from under a stack of magazines. Pulling it out, she gave it a squeeze then zipped it into the jack on the side of the computer and set the device on the desk. "It'll be about two hours before it has enough juice to anything worthwhile…" she spoke as she turned to the four people staring at her. Daisy shrugged her shoulders. "Sorry, it's the best I can do. I just hope those jerks didn't do anything drastic."

Phil acted first, stepping to the girl and wrapping her in a quick hug. "Are you okay?" He whispered into her ear as they came together.

"I'm fine." Daisy smiled as the warm honey feeling spread over her at someone being concerned with her welfare.

He stepped back and smiled before turning to the others. "I don't know what you did or how you did it, but you have my thanks, Lian." He nodded toward the woman who barely moved her head in response.

Phil nodded toward the plastic bowl on the table. "A little gift from our friends at the bureau," he quipped.

Melinda picked it up and peered through the translucent dish. "Are these what I think?"

"Bugs," Daisy snarled. "Those damn freaks bugged the house?" She pursed her lips and took a deep breath through her nose then laughed. The others in the room looked at her in confusion as she pulled a phone from her own pocket and pressed a few buttons. A second later a blast of the worst music they'd ever heard blared from the small device. Phil grimaced as Melinda made a sour face. The girl put a hand to her lips then snapped the top from the bowl and tossed the small phone inside then snapped it closed again. She picked up the bowl and popped it into the refrigerator then turned back to the others.

"Let 'em listen to that while they chill out," she almost giggled.

Phil smiled and moved close to Melinda's ear. "She is so your daughter." He whispered. She smiled her reply.

"Perhaps a soothing tea would be a good idea," William smiled as he took the kettle from the stove and filled it with water. Melinda nodded as she moved to the cupboard and pulled two fine tea cups with saucers.

Lian shook her head. "I think I should like to speak with young Agent Johnson while her device gathers the 'juice' it needs to complete this task." She eyed the young girl without changing her expression but Daisy could hear the brow raise in her tone. Lian moved toward the basement door and placed her hand on the knob. She tilted her head at it directing Daisy to follow.

Daisy paused for a moment as the small woman disappeared down the stairs. She looked to her young parents then to the door, unsure of what move to make. William turned from pulling a few more cups from the cabinet and smiled at the girl. "It is not wise to keep Lian waiting, sunnu." He nodded toward the door.

Letting out a breath and raising her brows for a second, Daisy shook her head and stepped through the basement door, closing it behind her.

xx

Fitz scratched the side of his head and stared at the little girl's wrist, still a little pink from where the bracelet had been. Was it possible for the disruption of that little device to make its way from reality to the cyberverse he'd created? How the hell… Fitz ran a hand through his hair. How was any of this possible? He tapped one foot under the table.

'It's just not real.' He told himself. 'I'm in some kind of mental institute, imagining all of this.' He rolled his eyes around the battered room. It had to be. It had to be some kind of delusion. The accident, the almost drowning, the mind twisting evil of AIDA…it all had to be connected…it all had to break his mind, to tear it apart and put it back with all of this insanity.

Fitz looked across the table at Jemma smiling at something the little girl was saying. He closed his eyes and bounced one knee where no one could see. It had to be a delusion, but why would Jemma be part of it and why would she be so very perfect. Ah, he thought to himself, the better part of my mind…the light side…that side that sees the good in everything. The promise…the hope that all would be well…Jemma was his light. She always had been.

And then she was looking right at him, that hint of concern in her eye…that look that asked if all was well even when she knew it was not. He looked down at his untouched meal, picked up the fork and moved the food around on the plate. A warm hand wrapped around his wrist.

"It will work out Fitz." Jemma smiled as she rubbed her hand along his arm. "Daisy will come through."

He smiled a small smile and nodded.

"You need to talk to Skye. I think you will be very interested in what she has to say." Jemma spoke quietly.

Fitz was already shaking his head. "I don't think that's such a good idea, Jemma."

"Oh, Fitz," Jemma sighed softly. "You've been avoiding her all along. She's just a little girl, Fitz."

"No, Jemma," Fitz shook his head and tapped his fork on his napkin. "She is not a little girl. She is a computer generated image that…that…" He set down the fork and rubbed his hands back and forth on his lap. "It just isn't possible Jemma." He tried not to remember AIDA…Ophelia…programming herself into existence, giving herself bones and flesh, blood and muscle, organs and…no, she did not give herself a conscience or compassion.

Jemma saw it, saw the regret and remorse even though he tried so hard to hide it. He would never forgive himself for the nightmare he'd helped create. He'd never forgive himself for becoming The Doctor in that hellish world. But, Skye was not part of that. Skye was good and pure and the very best of what the genius that was Fitz could create. If only she could show him that. She reached below the table and took his hand in her own, squeezing it firmly.

"There is no evil in her, Fitz. She is truly a child but she still has connections to your program. I don't understand how she got here. I don't know if we ever will, but she is right there and every test I have run on her says she is truly a small child. Please, Fitz, just talk to her." Jemma smiled.

"And as a real child, a virtual Pinocchio, what happens when we have to send her back? What happens if we can't?" He asked quietly, watching as the child helped May to clear the table.

Jemma did not reply. She hadn't really thought about that. If Skye was real, what was Daisy? Was it possible to send this child back? What would happen to her? If only her conscious entered the program where would Daisy be? How would Daisy return when her corporal state no longer existed in this reality? From the very beginning that thought had never crossed her mind. Daisy's body was not lying on that gurney in the computer lab. It had been replaced by the body of a rather small for her age ten year old.

This was certainly uncharted ground and Jemma had no idea how to navigate through it. All of her trust was in the man seated next to her and right now he did not seem very sure of himself.

xx

Lian sat at the very edge of the settee. She sipped tea from a delicate rose covered cup then placed it in the matching saucer and looked at the young girl seated across from her.

"This is a fine tea brought all the way from Wuyi Mountain in the Fujian province. Please drink." She nodded toward the matching cup on the table between them.

Daisy nodded and took the cup, sipped a bit and put it down. She tried not to squirm on the seat and felt pretty much like she did every time she sat across from the principal at any school and waited for the axe to fall. Lian simply stared as if she was waiting for Daisy to initiate the conversation. The younger woman took a breath and started to speak but was silenced by Lian's statement.

"I have worked for many, shall we call them entities," she kinda smiled but then her lips never moved. "I have worked in many countries and with many men and women of immense intelligence yet never once have I had the experience or the opportunity to work with time travel."

Daisy swallowed hard. "It's a…a new concept…" She figured Yeye had had a long talk with grandma. How else would she know? "Experimental actually…lot's…" she looked at her hands and widened her eyes. "Lot's of bugs, loads of glitches…" She shook her head and almost laughed.

Lian nodded. "New concepts generally do." She agreed. "And all take many years of trials and failures. Many more than sixteen, I would think. This research would be done for decades before it would be deemed safe for human trials despite the fact it may be shielded from the public eye." She tilted her head and gave a slow nod.

Wow, Daisy swallowed again. Granny May was really into the espionage game. Whatever she did or whoever she was, she had more info than any mainframe Daisy had even peeked into. And this grandmother wasn't even the real thing.

Lian stood and practically glided across the room. "Time travel is quite impossible." She announced. "Yet some say there are no impossibilities, only improbabilities. I do not profess to say it is impossible for you to be here and our Zhen Ju to be in your place, but I do find the probability of it astronomical."

"Skye," Daisy smiled. "Her name is Skye."

"Yes," Lian nodded. "This small computer you have plugged in is powerful enough to help you reverse this glitch?"

Daisy shook her head. "Nope, but the computers back in…my time will get both of us back where we belong as soon as I get that one," she pointed toward the ceiling, "up and running."

"So this small device is somehow linked to yours in the future." She pronounced the last word with a bit of disbelief.

Daisy scrunched up one side of her face. "Sort of, I guess but not on purpose. I think it's one of the glitches we'll have to straighten out when I get back."

The small woman stopped and stood in front of Daisy scrutinizing her. "You are not what I imagined by granddaughter would be Agent Johnson. I believe there is more to you than you care to share."

Daisy suddenly felt hot. "I'm sorry." She said without really knowing why.

"There is no need to be sorry, Zhen Ju. You are much more powerful than I imagined. I feel your mother was much to easy on you. She is prone to spare the rod, especially where you are concerned. So much free rein, sunnu, I was afraid you would stray from the course and here I see someone so much like my daughter it is hard to see the difference."

Daisy let out a guarded laugh. "Skye, Zumu, my parents called me Skye. And I can tell you from experience that my mother may have spared the rod but her palm got a lot of work."

"Hmmm," Lian narrowed her eyes. "And yet you call yourself Daisy Johnson."

"It's kind of a long story and there's really not a happy ending, it's just easier to use a name that others don't relate to Coulson or to May." She lied, but had already decided to keep the name for that very reason. "You have to understand using pseudonyms in your line of work. It's just as important as mine."

Lian had drifted across the room and turned back to face the girl. "Ah, yes, you have followed your parents into their line of work when there are other more reputable agencies to use your abilities and talents."

Daisy smiled. "No, I'm right where I need to be," she thought about that statement. "Well, not right now, but I know I'm doing what I'm supposed to do."

Lian shook her head. "Just like your mother and yet you have still not convinced me that you have come to us from some time we have yet to live."

"You do understand classified, don't you Zumu? You know I can't tell you secrets I am sworn to keep." Daisy smiled.

"Nainai," Lian corrected, giving the girl permission to use the more familiar term of grandma rather than the formal one she'd been using. "You do know you can trust me with any secret, sunnu. However, I do understand your need to follow orders." She turned and took a few steps then turned back, "although I feel it is not something you do frequently."

Daisy felt the flush on her cheeks and picked up her tea cup to take another sip.

"They did not give you permission to make this journey." Lian stated. "You are here to accomplish this task without their blessing."

Daisy thought about denying it but what the hell, why even try to lie to this May. She shook her head. "I was just supposed to start the computer. The rest is more…well it's more glitchy." She shrugged her shoulders.

"I should think this would displeasure them greatly." The woman sat back on the edge of the sofa and picked up her cup.

"Greatly," Daisy agreed. "I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do."

"Melinda was a bit headstrong herself as a young girl. She and I worked it out." Lian informed her granddaughter.

Daisy tried to hide the cringe she felt at the memory of the Wakatta work out. She took another sip of her luke warm tea.

Lian set her cup back on the saucer. "It is good to know my daughter has carried on with this method of training." She let out a soft breath. "My tea has gone cold, perhaps we should join the others. I much prefer hot tea."

Daisy stood and took her grandmother's cup as well as her own then waited for Lian to lead the way. She made a mental note to warn her little counterpart about the dangers of grandma's protect-your-flank farce.

xx

"I don't think Dr. Fitz likes me." Skye frowned as she crawled across the bed and wriggled under the blanket. She pushed the hair away from her eyes and looked up at May who sat on the edge of the bed.

"Well, he doesn't like to be called doctor, but why would you think he doesn't like you?" May asked as she tucked the blankets up to the little girl's chin.

Skye pulled her hands free and folded them on her tummy. "He looks at me kinda funny and he never talks to me."

"Maybe he's just very busy with what he's doing." May suggested, tapping the girl's nose with one finger.

"He was talking about me at supper." The little girl sighed.

May shook her head. "Skye, why would you say that?"

"I could tell. He was lookin at me like the kids at school when they talk about you and think you don't know." Skye semi-whined.

"Skye, Fitz is not a kid and I am sure he would not talk about anyone even if he was. He…" she hesitated. "Fitz knows what it's like to have people talk about him or poke fun because he was different."

Skye scrunched up her nose. "I don't mean that kinda talk about me. I just me he was talking and it was about me. He kept not looking at me cuz I'm really sure he doesn't like me."

"I'm sure he is just busy and you," she poked the little girl's belly earning a giggling wiggle, "are just imagining things."

Both turned to a soft knock on the door. Skye began to rise but was gently pushed back to the mattress by May who held up a finger then pointed to the bed indicating the child should stay put. The little girl formed a massive pout as her mother rose and walked to the door.

"I'm sorry Agent May," Simmons' soft voice brought Skye up on one elbow. "We just wanted to say goodnight."

May opened the door a little wider, revealing Fitz standing next to Jemma. It was certainly unusual for either scientist to show up like this but from the look on Jemma's face, May knew it was important. She returned a look of concern.

"Everything is fine, May, really. We just wanted to say goodnight. It's been quite an eventful day and we didn't really get to see Skye very much."

May gave a quick nod and stepped aside, allowing both young scientists to enter the room. Jemma stepped to the bed with Fitz a few steps behind. "Hello, darling," she smiled as she sat on the edge of the bed. "I know it's late, sweetheart but I thought maybe if it were alright with your mum that we might talk for just a wee bit." She looked to May who stood with her arms over her chest. She took a breath and pursed her lips, agitated at the ruse Simmons had used to get to Skye.

"It's after nine, Simmons." May remarked as an answer.

"Yes, I know May but we'll be brief. I promise." Jemma tried not to sound like she was begging.

"Five minutes," May agreed with a soft huff.

Jemma nodded then turned and smiled at Skye.

"I didn't do it." Skye shook her head. "I was with my mom all the time since supper. I didn't touch anything." She quickly told the young doctor.

Jemma smiled and patted the little girl's hand. "Of course you didn't, sweetie. I just wanted you to tell Fitz about Daisy."

Skye looked from Jemma to Fitz who stood nervously behind her and then back again. She crooked a finger for the doctor to come closer. Jemma leaned in. "He doesn't like me." Skye whispered as she looked up at the man who was looking everywhere but at them.

Jemma sat back and sighed. "Oh no, darling that just isn't true. He just doesn't know you." She reached back and pulled Fitz a bit closer. He reluctantly stepped forward and tried to hide his anxiety. Jemma smiled softly, looking from the man to the little girl. "Please can you tell Fitz about Daisy."

Skye pulled back into the pillow and shrugged her shoulders. "She's okay. She was in trouble for a little bit but she's okay now. She's working on getting things figured out and she wanted me to give you a message." The little girl mumbled into the blanket.

"Daisy sent a message? How?" Fitz's brows rose. He was more than intrigued but his sudden eagerness frightened the child.

Skye squeezed her eyes shut tightly and pulled herself toward the wall. May moved closer to the bed, ready to usher the younger agents out of the room. Jemma held up a hand.

"It's okay, darling." She rubbed the other hand on the girl's arm and took a slow breath. "Fitz is just a bit surprised that you can talk to Daisy from here. Can you explain it to him?"

Skye shook her head and pulled the blanket up closer to her chin. She cast a wary look to her mother wishing the young couple wasn't blocking the route she could use to leap to her protection. She squeezed her eyes closed and wished all of this away. "I'm really tired." She whispered into the covers.

Jemma smiled and tried again. "Please Skye, no one is angry. I'm sure May…your mum, understands." She looked quickly to May who was not quite in agreement. Fitz shook his head and turned to leave the room. The hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach grew as he watched the little girl shrink in fear of him.

May was finished. "Okay Simmons, I think Skye's had enough. She's had a long day and…"

"We're only trying to help. If what she says can help Daisy and return both of them to…" Jemma stopped and looked May knowing she could not use any term that might frighten the child even more.

"May's right," Fitz spoke softly from the doorway. "Let the girl get her rest." He looked at his hands, once again watching as one massaged the other. "I'm sorry, Sk…Skye, I didn't mean to frighten you." He spoke quietly to the little girl then turned to Jemma. "Come on, Simmons. We've got work to do." The man shifted and took a step toward the hall beyong May's bunk door.

Skye opened her eyes slowly. "Think," she said quietly then looked to May silently asking permission to continue. At her mother's nod she drew down the blanket and went on. "Me and Daisy don't talk like people do, we kinda think to each other. I hear her in my…myself." She relaxed, pushed herself up on the pillows and shook her head. "It's not like talking to yourself cuz it's real." She waited for the adults to react but when they merely waited for her to continue she looked directly at Fitz who had stopped int the doorway and did just that. "She wanted you to find the King Kong nanny in her locker and turn it off."

Fitz took a few steps back into the room and furrowed his brow. What the hell did that mean?

At his look she went on. "Daisy said she couldn't do anything until it got turned off. It was stopping her so she couldn't fix the laptop."

"King Kong?" Fitz repeated, clearly confused. "Like the big monkey?

Skye covered her mouth and giggled. "A big monkey wouldn't fit in her locker."

"King Kong would not need a nanny and how could either stop her from…" Fitz stopped and snapped his fingers. "Did she perhaps say Hong Kong?"

Skye shrugged again. "Maybe that's what she said but it was definitely a nanny in her locker."

"That damn bracelet," May shook her head and let out a disgusted sigh.

"The bracelet," Fitz and Simmons said in unison as they turned to each other.

"It stopped her from here?" Jemma asked.

"They're connected. They're _still_ connected. Skye put on the bracelet and it affected Daisy. It's absolutely unimaginable." Fitz shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.

"But Daddy took it off." Skye held up her arm to show them, casting her mother a sheepish look.

"Yes he did," Fitz smiled as Jemma examined the light irritation around the girl's wrist. "And that means Daisy can fix this." He turned and took a step toward the door then quickly turned back with a wide grin. "Goodnight, Skye. You have a lovely sleep and I will talk to you again in the morning." With that he hurried to the door opened it and disappeared.

Jemma watched for a moment shocked at how quickly he left but knowing he was on his way to the computer room to check on what progress might have been made. "Thank you, Skye." The young doctor smiled as she leaned forward and kissed the little girl's forehead. "Goodnight, darling, sleep tight." She kissed her again, stood, then hurried to catch up to Fitz.

May shut the door and turned back to her child. Skye crinkled her nose. "That was weird."

Letting out a small laugh as she sat back on the bed, May once again tucked in her little girl and whispered, "time to sleep, baobei."

Skye snuggled down into the pillows and wrapped her arms around the little white dog May had produced from a box in the closet.

xx

Daisy sat at the small desk in the alcove and lifted the top of the computer. She tapped the power button and let out a relieved sigh when it lit. She waited for the screen to turn a bright blue then back to black as the device booted slowly. She turned to address the two couples standing behind her.

"I don't know what's going to happen when I get this started. It might be sudden and it might take a while. There's no way to tell because…well because this is the first time this actually happened so…" She turned back and felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You're not sure?" Melinda was definitely concerned.

Daisy shook her head. "Well, I'm sure it's going to do something. I'm just not sure what or when."

The screen sprang to life with a garbled 'welcome' then opened to the large headed cartoon Fitz standing in a field of daisies. A large 'll' glared in the middle of it.

"Eleven?" Melinda questioned.

"Pause," Daisy, Lian and William answered in unison.

"Once I click that button the program will start and," she paused, shrugged and let out a breath. "I guess we'll see what happens." She held her hand over the space bar and felt Melinda move behind her. Before the woman could stop her she dropped her thumb and clicked the key.

The pause icon disappeared. The screen flickered for a second before the Fitz guy smiled and raised his hand in a wave. "Hello, Daisy. Are you ready to play?" The familiar boxes with the nodding and wagging heads appeared. The girl clicked yes before anyone had a chance to object. She pulled back her hands and waited.

"Five daisies cost one dollar and seventy five cents. How much would you pay for just one?" The character asked. An empty box appeared, waiting for an answer.

Daisy dropped her hands into her lap and tried not to look as disappointed as she felt. "Well," she exhaled. "I guess it's up to them now. We just have to wait." She typed thirty five cents into the little box and hit enter.

"Thank you, Daisy." Fitz's cartoon voice quipped.

xx

"Not one, not one damn device is working," Fox demanded as a frazzled agent slid into the backseat of the car a block from the Coulson house.

The man pulled a headset off and tossed across the seat. "Oh no, they're working just fine…if you like Rap." He flicked a switch on the small box he held and blasted the car with an earsplitting cacophony.

"ENOUGH!" Fox screamed a second before the noise was cut.

The agent slammed the box to the floor and growled. "That's all we've got for the last twenty minutes and this is as close as we get to the house. They've got some kind of perimeter set up. I don't even recognize the teams."

"Damn Xie," Fox grumbled under her breath. "Hell, knows who she's got. For all we know it could be the damn Kremlin." She ignored the soft chuckle the other agents shared. For a few moments she was quiet while the others waited. Letting out a long breath she drew it back and smiled. "If we can't get in we'll just have to get them out."

xx

Coulson entered the bunk he and May had begun to share and smiled at the sight of the little girl snuggled under the blankets on the slightly large than usual bed. The bathroom door opened as May stepped into the room clad in grey sweats and towel drying her hair. He looked to her and let out a breath over his silly grin.

"Fitz says the program's running. He's been able to make small changes but doesn't want to try anything more until the girls are back where they belong." He informed her.

May nodded and brought the towel down then fingered her damp hair into place. She stopped and stared at Skye for a moment then turned to Phil and moved the far corner of the room. "It's been hours since you took that damn bracelet off her wrist and that's all he's got."

Coulson shrugged and place his hands on her shoulders. "He's pretty sure Daisy's got things on her end. He's working on the other situation. Apparently, Simmons is concerned with the calibration for the monitors and headsets. She's not sure it's safe for a child."

May looked over her should at the child who squirmed into a more comfortable position on the bed. "She needs to be with her parents…"

He pulled her closer. "We're her parents." He whispered close to her ear and felt her nod against him.

"She is a beautiful, wild, stubborn little version of our Daisy." Melinda remarked slowly. "And I can't help loving her or the idea of her and the lifetime we didn't get to have, but I need our Daisy. She is a giant pain in the ass and nothing but trouble but…"

"I know." Coulson smiled his understanding. "We just need to give it some time, May. For now we'll just take care of our little girl and put our trust in our grown up daughter."

Before May could answer the child across the room whined softly and tossed to one side then the other before letting out a gasp and sitting bolt upright. May was at her side in seconds.

"Mommy," Skye breathed as she fell into May's embrace and drifted back into a deep sleep free from a night terror she would not remember.

Coulson had moved to his partner's side, she looked up at him as she gently laid their child back against the pillows. He once again placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed softly.

xx

Phil walked away from the group gathered around the laptop when his phone buzzed. It seemed pointless for all of them to be watching that silly cartoon like it was some action packed superhero blockbuster.

He listened carefully to the person on the other end of the conversation responding in mostly one word replies. He flipped it closed, dropped in back into his pocket and let out a fluttery breath. Stepping back to the family he cleared his throat and waited for them to turn away from the screen.

"That was Agent Maroni from the Bureau." He remarked sullenly.

"Oh hell, now what?" Melinda growled.

"According to him they found Skye. She's well and frightened but unhurt. They've got her in Fox's office waiting for us." He raised his brows and sucked in his lips with a shrug.

"What?" Daisy was on her feet. "That's not…it is possible…I'm still here. We can't both be here." She patted her body up and down just to make sure.

"Calm down, Zhen Ju." Lian semi-ordered the girl. "It is not difficult to understand Agent Fox has decided to try yet another angle. She has set her mind that you have had a hand in our little one's disappearance and will stop at nothing to prove she is correct."

"She's requested the three of us come to her office." Phil nodded toward Daisy and Melinda. "I'm not sure that's our smartest move."

"I will make a few calls, Phillip." Lian assured him and William will keep watch on your device. "There is very little she can do."

"No, but who knows what's going on back…" Daisy stopped and looked at the four seasoned agents looking back at her. "Baaack in the future…" She made sure to avoid Lian's knowing smirk.

"As you have said, it may take time for this situation to be remedied. We will have to trust that time will not expire before you return. Agent Fox will not have a reason to keep you and will be held responsible for giving false information. We know she does not have Zhen Ju." At that she produced probably the most evil smile Daisy had ever seen. She immediately knew why grandmama rarely cracked and grin and wondered just what side she was on as she dabbled in whatever the hell she dabbled.

William moved closer to the girl and smiled his usual smile. Remember, sunnu, you are not here alone. We are all meant to protect you just as we did your much younger self. We are family and that is what family is meant to do. Trust us." He wrapped one arm around Daisy in a quick half hug.

"Now, go." Lian pushed them toward the door. "Do not give that biǎo zi any more fuel for this witch hunt she has imagined."

Melinda smiled at her mother's descriptive term as she pulled on her jacket and pushed Daisy ahead of her. Phil gave a quick not and hurried after them.

Daisy turned back as she shoved her arms into her own jacket. "You call me if there's any change."

Before William could answer they were out the door. As Phil pulled it closed the older man turned to the small woman who had once been his wife and remained forever his friend.

"It will all work out." She remarked without looking back at him.


	55. And Then Leave Me in the Morning

**Chapter 55**

 **And Then Leave Me in the Morning**

Phil, Melinda and Daisy pushed the large glass door open on the Federal Building and were immediately met by two agents who ushered them into the nearest elevator ignoring all questions the couple asked about their child. Daisy stood back watching the agents, assessing the blank looks on their faces. She knew Skye was nowhere in this building because she knew exactly where Skye was and it sure as hell wasn't in some snarky FBI agent's office or interrogation room or wherever the hell they'd stash a little kid. The fact was Skye, as this reality knew her, was standing right here with the people who thought they'd lost her. Fitz had explained that two versions of the same person, or thing for that matter, could not exist simultaneously and that if by some chance they ended up in that situation the results would be catastrophic. There was no way Fitz would take that risk.

Daisy backed up against the wall of the elevator and watched the numbers light up across the top of the doors, then stop at twelve. The doors swished open and the two agents motioned for them to step out. Melinda stood fast and shook her head.

"Unless you tell me exactly where my child is, I have no intention of leaving this car." She glowered at the two agents, daring them to make her.

Phil shook his head and stepped closer to his wife. "She's got a point guys. You are not instilling a feeling of trust here, so maybe you ought to tell us just where we're going before we continue."

Daisy moved closer to Melinda's opposite side. She said nothing but was sure the two goons in the doorway knew what she was thinking. One narrowed an eye and half smiled before he slid around the opening leaving the other to manage the force in the small car. Daisy smiled to herself imagining how she and Melinda could take this guy and the other in the blink of an eye but she knew the woman would not make that move, not now when they were so close to solving this insanity. So right now they just stood staring at each other in some kind of bizarre stand-off.

The broad shouldered agent stood staring at them and Daisy wondered if he could really see them without those dark glasses almost every one of them wore. She wriggled her fingers just a bit and felt the soft rumble of the elevator car beneath her feet. If anyone else felt it they didn't react. The tension in the air was thick enough to cover her little power test. It wasn't much and she could barely feel the hum of it within her but maybe it was just enough to get them out of whatever the hell Fox was up to this time. She couldn't imagine just what the woman had against her. Then she recalled Agent Hand and how that woman also had some bone to pick with her right from the start. Daisy really never got to know the Level 8 Agent, thanks to Nazi-ward. Maybe she wasn't as bad as she appeared.

Fitz never knew the agent either so when he modeled this cyber vision of her or just threw in some cyber ideas for people this wild and crazy program would create, well the result was Agent Fox. No, it didn't make a lot of sense…in fact it was unbelievable how ridiculous this whole thing had become. It started off okay but since all this body or consciousness switching happened it just got less and less plausible even in a universe where life model decoys could manifest into blood and flesh cyborgs and try to take over the world. It was mind numbing.

The stand-off continued until Agent Fox stepped around the large man in the elevator doorway and smiled a smarmy grin at them. Daisy snapped out of her reverie and gave her full attention to whatever was about to happen. She was more than prepared to give this old vixen the same free fall ride she'd gifted Madame Hydra not so very long ago.

"Mr. and Mrs. Coulson," Fox gushed as she stepped into the car with that swarmy smile plastered on her face and reached both hands out to Melinda who ignored the greeting. "Agent Johnson," she smiled a nod at Daisy, who glared back. "I am so very sorry for what we put you through but you know very well that we must rule out everyone in such an investigation and the closest family members are usually prime suspects." She rambled, yet seemed to be watching for some sort of reaction.

Phil spoke first. "We're here to take our daughter home. We'll sort out the apologies later." His tone matched the expression on both Melinda and Daisy's faces.

"Yes, yes of course, yes I'm sure you are more than anxious to be reunited." Fox fake smiled again, making Melinda want to drop kick her down the hallway as they exited the car. "Why don't we just step into to my office and I will have the agents downstairs bring her up. We wanted to speak with her just a bit."

"Is she hurt?" Phil asked, perfectly feigning his concern. "Maybe we should just take her to the ER. We were surprised you didn't direct us there." He cast Melinda quick look as they moved down the hall.

"She is absolutely fine, but if you'd feel better having her checked out we can arrange for a car to take you to the nearest hospital." Fox agreed in a not so perfect ruse, that sick slimy smile glued across her face as she opened the door to her office and motioned them inside.

Melinda stopped and turned just inside the door. "What's the holdup, Fox? _Where_ is my child?"

Daisy wondered at the tense sound of her cyber mother's voice. Did she actually believe Skye was here? Searching every fiber of her self, Daisy felt for her kid persona but felt nothing. This bitch could bullshit all she wanted but there was no way she could produce that little girl.

Fox smiled again and motioned for the trio to sit, then turned back to the hall and gave a quick nod to someone out of sight before she pulled the door closed. Ever alert to her environment, Daisy noticed the shadows of someone moving just outside the door…two, possibly three sets of feet stood immediately on the opposite side. She cast a quick glance to Melinda who gave her a blink that said she saw the same thing. Daisy was more than sure that Phil also knew they were now inside this whack-a-mole agent's office with guards stationed outside.

"Please, please have a seat. I'm sure we can sort this out and we'll all get what we've been looking for in no time." She moved to her desk and dropped easily into her seat, still smiling broadly.

"Excuse me? Sort this out?" Phil stood facing the woman. "What exactly is there to sort out? You have our child and unless there is some discrepancy or you feel you've made some kind of mistake, then all you need to do is bring her to us and we will take care of whatever needs sorting after she is safe at home."

With a slight nod, Melinda told Daisy to stand down. She felt more than saw the younger woman's flinch at the change in Fox's tone.

"It's understandable that you wish to take the child home as soon as possible but you must know there are a few things that need explaining. I'm sure you want to know where and how we found her." Fox smiled again as she waved a hand toward the chairs, this time insisting they be seated.

Phil gave an almost imperceptible nod as he and Melinda lowered themselves into two seats in front of the large desk. Daisy still refused to let down her guard, folding her arms over her chest and standing behind. Discretely she flicked the fingers of the hand closest to her ribs toward the desk and smiled as the tube shaped pencil/pen holder bounced twice then tossed its contents across the blotter. Fox jumped at the sudden spill then quickly turned to the right to catch a stack of files that bounced to the edge as Daisy attempted a second flick of power. The girl lowered her gaze to hide her smirk.

Phil did not. He grinned as he sat on the edge of the large chair. "Odd, the amount of small tremors in the area in the past few days, but not unusual…two point five in ninety-seven…could be were in for a big one." He quipped.

"Right," Fox breathed as her fake smile dissolved.

"Anything's possible," Phil added with a small sarcastic grin.

"Absolutely," Fox tried to hide her growl. "And one thing that is certainly possible is that the three of you have more information about Skye's disappearance than you are willing to share."

"And why would that even be a point if you have her downstairs?" Melinda snarled back.

Fox stood and tapped her finger on the edge of her desk. "As it happens, our agents found your daughter at a homeless shelter just across the state line." She paused and waited for a reaction then shifted her gaze to Daisy. "Taking a child across the state line without permission of a parent is considered a capital crime." She stepped around the desk, leaned against it and mimicked Daisy's posture. "Could put you away for twenty years or so." Turning back to the Coulson's she added, "Colluding or covering up that crime can get you just about the same."

Daisy let out a snort. "So you're telling us Skye was whisked off my some homeless villain?"

"Maybe not homeless, but just as invisible to society," Fox smiled back. "Living off the grid, hiding in the shadows of black ops gives a person a lot of seedy factions."

Melinda was on her feet, stopped only by Phil's quick reaction. He stood in front of his wife and shook his head. His grin had completely disappeared. "Damn it, Fox, are we back to that? How many the hell times do we have to say it? Daisy had nothing to do with Skye's disappearance! Our child vanished from our home. I'm sure if you've talked to her she's told you what happened."

"Oh yes, she did. Young Skye had plenty to tell us after we let her know that our antiquated labs were able to tap into that little computer of hers and found all of your little messages." Fox smiled a much different smile and glared at Daisy. "Hmmm, it seems _Agent Johnson_ made some promises after the little girl told her all about mommy blistering her backside." Before anyone could react, she continued. "Apparently, Skye let her in and then just slipped out with her while grandpa was on a wild goose chase."

Daisy couldn't help laughing. This woman was desperate. There was no way any of them had gotten into that laptop and if they did they would have found nothing but a kids' trivia game and some serious changes none of them would have understood almost two decades before they existed.

"You find this amusing, Johnson?" Fox sneered, ignoring the boiling pot that stood before her.

"I want to see her now, Fox, right now." Melinda demanded, pushing around Phil and taking a step toward the woman.

"Well, that is just not going to happen, Coulson," Fox sneered back. "Children's Services is taking the child into custody as we speak. They were quite interested in hearing how you've been protecting the pedophile that attempted to take your child not to mention your barbaric idea of discipline." She drew a breath before adding, "of course if you've been somehow coerced by this charlatan then perhaps we can work with you."

Melinda dove across the small space between them pushing Phil back into the chair as she did. She'd had more than her fill of Agent Jillian Fox. Grabbing the woman by the lapel of her fitted FBI issued suit jacket she pulled back one fist intending to send her into oblivion before she and her family walked out of this office. She had no doubt she and Daisy could obliterate whoever was on the other side of that door in addition to anyone who stood between them and the exit.

A shelf on the opposite wall cracked midline sending books, knick knacks and a large glass vase crashing to the floor. Daisy pulled back her hand and clenched it into a tight fist, the pain that ran up her arm almost bringing tears to her eyes. Phil was on his feet again but not fast enough to stop the three men that entered the room with pistols drawn.

Fox shook off Melinda's grasp and nodded toward Daisy. "Take that one to holding. I've got a few more things to discuss with the others but cuff 'em anyway."

One of the agents holding Daisy suddenly released her and stared at his hands then back at the young woman who smiled back. She turned slowly to the other man stopped only by Melinda's voice.

"Tíngzhǐ, dàilǐ. Zhè shì wǒ de dòuzhēng.¹" Melinda ordered through her teeth.

Daisy gave a quick nod as both agents once again took her arms and dragged her toward the door. She looked over her shoulder at Melinda before it closed. "Wán dé kāixīn, māmā.²"

xx

Skye moaned a few times and tossed to her back then pulled herself into a tight ball between her parents. Coulson put a hand on her back and rubbed gently hoping to lull her back into a sound sleep, but the little girl let out a soft whine as she sat up cradling her left arm with the right.

May was already up as Coulson flicked on the small lamp next to the bed. She quickly blinked away sleep and pulled Skye into a comforting embrace. The little girl immediately wailed in pain. A mother's instinct kicked in as May pressed a hand then her lips to Skye's forehead but detected no sigh of fever.

"Mommy," Skye whimpered. "I want my mommy." The little girl rocked back and forth, still clutching one arm close to her chest.

Coulson rubbed his eyes and pushed himself up to sit against the wall at the top of the bed. He reached for the child and pulled her against his chest. Skye resisted squealing again as if in severe pain. He exchanged a perplexed look with May. This was definitely not a nightmare.

"Are you sick, Skye?" She kept her voice calm, quiet despite her feeling of complete loss. "What hurts baobei?"

Skye leaned back against Coulson pulling her arm closer. "My arm, my arm," she sobbed.

Coulson smiled and kissed the top of the little girl's head. "It's okay, Skye," he comforted. "You probably laid on it too long and it went to sleep, all pins and needley."

Shaking her head, Skye sobbed again. "No, daddy, it really hurts not like pickery, like really hurting."

"Okay," Coulson smiled again as he peered over the child at May who wore a look of concern he rarely saw. "How 'bout you let me rub it a little until it feels better?" Skye was already shaking her head as the sobs came faster. "Shh, shh, shh," he comforted as he eased her arm free and held it gently with both hands.

Skye winced, drawing a quick breath through her teeth before sobbing deeply. Coulson felt the heat radiating from the little girl's limb and immediately recognized the dark mottling that reached from her fingertips to her shoulder. He looked to May who was already on her way to the door.

"I'll wake Simmons," she snapped as the door whooshed open.

"What's wrong with me?" Skye sobbed, staring at the bluish-black marks that speckled her arm. "Am I gonna die? I don't wanna die, daddy." Her sobs were almost uncontrollable.

"No, no sweet pickle," Coulson comforted, trying not to make the injury worse. "We're gonna fix this and you'll be fine. I promise."

xx

Jemma hurried down the hallway a few steps behind May. She pulled the robe she had thrown on tighter around her waist and shifted the bag she carried from one hand to the other. "What do you mean she's broken her arm? How could she do that while sleeping, Agent May? That is highly unlikely."

"I know what it looks like, Simmons." May hissed as she rounded the corner and hurried her step. "I've seen it plenty of times."

Jemma shook her head and walked a bit faster, catching up to May as she pushed open the door to her bunk. The young doctor felt the quick flush that warmed her cheeks when she saw Coulson seated on the bed with Skye in front of him. Although both of her superiors were clad in sweatpants and T-shirts it was more than apparent that they'd been sharing a bed for more than a few days. The fact that Skye was also in that bed gave her a bit of relief…at least she was sure all they'd been doing is sleeping. She could see that Skye was still crying and nursing her left arm. Simmons immediately became a doctor.

"Oh dear, sweetheart, let me take a look." Jemma spoke softly as she sat on the bed and reached for the little girl who immediately pulled away.

"Nooooo, noooo…" Skye squealed as she turned away from Dr. Simmons but was held in place by Coulson who continued shushing the child.

"It's okay, Skye. Jemma just wants to look. She won't touch your arm. I promise." He looked to the young doctor who nodded her agreement.

"Just a little peek, darling, I promise not to touch if you don't want me to." Jemma spoke softly and nodded just a bit. Skye was already shaking her head, sniffling through her sobs. "Sweetheart, I can't help you if you won't let me just see what is hurting you so badly. Please?"

Skye's answer was only another round of weepy sobs.

Coulson kissed the top of her head. "It's okay, sweet pickle, it's okay. Jemma's just going to take a little peek."

"Nooooooo," Skye's answer traveled up and down the wail of her reply.

"Skye," May's voice was soft, but none-the-less commanding. "Dr. Simmons needs to examine your arm in order to help you." As she spoke she moved closer to the bed and motioned for Coulson to let her take over.

He carefully slid from behind the little girl as May took his place. She pulled Skye to her chest and whispered into her ear. "I know this hurts, Skye and we're going to help you. I'm staying right here and you're going to let Simmons examine your arm. You can hold my hand and squeeze as tight as you want." She held her hand out in front of the child and waited.

Skye took a shaky breath and looked at her father who now stood behind Jemma. He gave a smile and a nod. She turned slightly and looked at May who smiled down at her. Taking a deep breath that released another round of sobs she slowly lowered her right hand into her mother's but kept the other arm close to her chest.

Jemma swallowed the gasp as she too recognized the mottling that traveled the lengths of Daisy's arms when she over exerted her powers. The doctor knew they were the telltale signs of dozens of tiny fractures caused when her friend did not use the special gauntlets Fitz had created to prevent just this thing. But, this was Skye…little Skye…a child without inhuman powers. Fitz had said the powers could not manifest in a child but this was clear evidence that something had.

The doctor smiled at the child then looked around the room as she stood and walked to the door with Coulson following. "Have you felt any trembling?" She asked him just above a whisper. Coulson shook his head. Again Jemma scanned the room. She'd never been inside this particular bunk but it did not appear that anything was out of order.

"We were asleep." Coulson whispered back. "She woke up screaming in pain. Nothing happened." He cast a quick glance over his shoulder to see May quietly comforting the little girl. "Not even a wiggle."

Jemma took a few steps forward then turned back. Coulson waited for her to speak. "I'll have to fit her for a pressure sleeve, much like the one I made for Daisy a few years back. I'm sure Fitz can take care of it quickly. Until then I will give her something for the pain." She retrieved her bag from the floor and set it on the nearest table. Coulson rolled his eyes at the sight of the hypodermic she prepared. He threw May a pained look as she gathered the little girl into her lap and pressed her head to her shoulder.

"I'll be quick." The doctor whispered to Coulson as she stepped toward the child who now faced away from her.

"I'm going to help you stop hurting, sweetie." Jemma's voice caused the little girl to jump and move closer to May who had discretely lifted the back of the oversized T-shirt Skye was using as a nightgown.

With May's nod, Jemma injected the sedative and withdrew it before Skye realized the situation. The little girl let out a sob more of protest than pain then dissolved into tears against her mother.

"It should only take a few seconds but it will keep her out until I can rig something for that arm and have a chance to discuss this with Fitz." Jemma sighed as she stood back.

Coulson sat next to May and patted Skye's back in comfort. "If they're connected and Daisy's got her powers…" he let the statement drop at a glance from May.

"And there's no way she knows about this," Jemma jutted her chin toward Skye.

No one finished that thought…those results could be catastrophic.

xx

"This is impossible, Jemma, totally impossible," Fitz remarked for the tenth time as he adjusted the small pressure gauntlet he held. "There is no way, virtual or otherwise that anything Daisy does in that program can affect Skye."

"Fitz, you said yourself, that they are one and the same. Why would something one does not affect the other?" Jemma posed as she took the item from him.

"The program isn't set up that way. It is not something that tosses things back and forth across…across," he paused at the lack of a term to describe whatever was happening. "There's not even a word to describe it."

Jemma smiled. "Then you will be the one to coin that phrase. Won't you?"

Fitz merely stared back at her.

Shrugging her shoulders as she tested the elasticity of the small black sleeve, Jemma took a breath and added. "When we were in the Framework we knew that whatever happened there would affect us here." She closed her eyes for a moment remembering Director Mace. Jemma hadn't been there when he gave the ultimate sacrifice but she'd heard enough about it to tremble at the thought. "Doesn't that give it just the slightest chance that it may do the same with Daisy and Skye?"

Fitz thought for a moment then shook his head. "It isn't designed that way, Jemma. This is just total insanity. It's like the whole thing has become its own version of reality, almost as if it's another dimension or…" He stopped, looking blankly into space. Jemma knew that look. His mind was racing much faster than he could speak.

Somewhere in the genius mind of Leopold James Fitz he was taking this apart and examining it piece by piece. He was on to something or had formulated a hypothesis of his own which could only lead to his solving this riddle once and for all. At last, Jemma thought, there was a light at the end of this tunnel. When he looked back at her, really focused on her standing there a few feet from him, he smiled.

"Hugh Everett," he snapped as he turned and walked from the room leaving her open mouthed.

xx

Daisy paced back and forth in the small barren room the agents had deposited her. Other than one small table and two chairs there was nothing not even the usual interrogation room mirror. She'd tried the door twice only to find it locked and she must have exhausted the little bit of power she could muster since all she'd been able to do is rattle the lock mechanism. She let out a more than frustrated breath. No, she was not frustrated she was damn angry.

The girl took another incensed march across the room stopping halfway as the floor trembled violently. She put out her arms and squatted low to maintain her balance. The feeling was familiar but Daisy was absolutely sure she had nothing to do with it. She watched as one chair tapped across the floor like some poltergeist driven possession while the other simply tipped to one side and slammed to the floor. She could here the commotion on the opposite side of the door, people shouting…running…panicking.

Damn, maybe Phil was right and there was some kind of freak East Coast earthquake. Daisy rose to her feet and attempted to absorb the tremor as she made her way to the door. If this were the real thing she needed to get to Phil and Melinda. Skye had to have parents to come back to and Daisy was going to make sure that happened. She grabbed the door knob and pulled, then banged on the door with one fist and shouted for someone to let her out.

An overwhelming feeling of nausea struck causing her to wrap both arms around her stomach and search for a wastebasket. Whoever designed this little closet neglected to add that bit of amenity leaving Daisy with no other option. She lost the contents of her stomach on the black tiled floor a moment before the humming dizziness drove through her head and pulled her to the floor. She struck the tile with such force the world went as still and black as the surface below her.

xx

Jemma hurried down the corridor following Fitz from the lab toward the room that held his computers. She paused at the intersection that would take her to the room where Skye was still sedated. Staring at the small pressure bandage gloves she now held in her hands she debated on whether to follow her partner or check on her patient. A quick glance at her watch let her know the child would probably sleep for at least two more hours, but she knew it would be much easier to put the bandages on Skye's arms before she woke. Jemma stared in the direction she knew Fitz had taken and bounced on the balls of her feet in indecision then closed her eyes, let out a frustrated growl and turned toward May's bunk.

xx

Fitz entered the room just as the alarm he had set began to sound. He flicked it off quickly and dropped into the chair. A glance at the screens told him something was happening. The funnels of integers that normally floated in calm spirals, spun like dervishes out of control. It was hard to tell if the numbers were still in place as the circles spun so rapidly they appeared as solid lines. The young man took a deep breath and tapped the keys in an attempt to bring the frenzy to a halt. He felt the soft rumbling under his feet writing it off to yet another symptom of his computer's tantrum.

Fitz took a deep breath and typed faster.

xx

Skye moaned lightly as Jemma slipped the pressure sleeve over her fingers and gently tugged it to her bicep. She tested to be sure it was not too tight as to stop blood flow, but snug enough to do its job. Once satisfied she lifted Skye's opposite arm and began slipping the second sleeve over that hand.

"Both arms?" May wondered as she watched the young doctor.

"Fitz and I thought it would be wise." She nodded as she worked. "Should Daisy use her powers again before we…we solve this, she'll be protected." Satisfied that the second sleeve would serve its purpose she turned toward May and smiled. "She'll probably sleep another two hours or more. The bandages should help with the pain, but I've got some mild sedatives that will help if it becomes too intense." She turned back and brushed Skye's hair from her face.

A slight tremble shook the room for a few seconds causing items on the table and dresser to bounce and clink together. Both woman froze and stared at each other, wide eyed. It stopped as quickly as it began. May hurried to Skye's side, but the child slept, unfazed by the tremor.

"Daisy?" Jemma queried.

May shook her head. It was still unbelievable that Daisy's power, despite their intensity, could affect them from inside the Fitzwork. May was more convinced that the base itself was rumbling with the loss of physical integrity and it was past time for them to find another location. Moving Fitz and all of his technology would be a gargantuan effort but they'd find a way to manage. Right now losing any part of that tech could also mean losing Daisy. That was not a choice nor was it part of any risk they might take.

Before she could form any kind of answer, Coulson burst through the door. Jemma rose from her seat on the bed as he rushed forward, clearly concerned with Skye's reaction to the trembling.

"No worries, Director," Jemma smiled. "She's…"

Another tremor shook the room knocking the adults off balance for a moment before it wound down to nothing more than a soft vibration. May and Coulson exchanged a worried glance as Jemma turned to a soft sound from the bed.

Skye struggled to sit up with one hand on her head and the other on her stomach. "Mommy…" she moaned once before vomiting profusely.

May moved quickly to aid her child, grabbing the closest towel from inside the bathroom door attempting to comfort as well as wipe her face and help her from the bed. Jemma rushed to help as well gathering the bedding as may hurried the little girl into the bathroom. A second later she bellowed Jemma's name causing both the doctor and Coulson to burst into the small room.

Skye lay limp in May's arms, her face ashen, her chest barely moving air. "Help her," the mother pleaded as she looked to Dr. Simmons.

Jemma paused for a moment taking a step forward and then back as a strange shadow of dull colored pixels flashed across the child's body. A slight crackling noise followed. Jemma recalled the same experience in that dark warehouse where Daisy had located the backdoor to AIDA's Hell-Frame. There the entire world flashed as boxed pixels revealing the computer generated image of its non-reality. That world was ending. Its false existence revealed to everyone. She exchanged a quick look with Coulson.

"We have to get her to Fitz, right now." Jemma's voice was commanding, almost ordering the man to take action.

Coulson understood. He bent and took the child into his arms, turned and hurried from the room without a word to either woman. May pushed herself up from the floor and followed almost knocking Jemma to the floor as another tremor shook the base.

xx

Phil wrapped an arm around Melinda and pulled her toward the door, bracing both inside the frame to support them. He wasn't really sure it was the right thing to do, but he'd read it somewhere and although it seemed a bit useless it was worth a try. Fox gripped the edge of her desk until she could no longer hold on and slipped to the floor, seeking cover beneath her desk.

The tremor shook the building and brought small items crashing to the floor but the intensity did not seem to be causing major damage. Within minutes it was over and Phil watched as several agents picked themselves up from the hallway floor then helped colleagues to do the same. Paper and files were strewn everywhere along with spilled coffee and shards of broken mugs. A water cooler lay on its side at the end of the corridor. The liquid glugged out across the floor in a large puddle. It seemed to be the worst of the damage. He turned back to the room as Fox pulled herself up and pushed the loose hairs away from her face.

The woman took a deep breath and used both hands to smooth down her clothing. She snarled at the agent lying on the floor between the two chairs facing her desk. He lay with both arms wrapped around his head and had not made any attempt to rise. The second agent laid spread eagle where he had tumbled backward and struck his head against a large cabinet.

"Get up, Jenkins," she sneered at the young man on the floor. "And get Thomas to medical." Her snarl turned to disgust as the man crept across the floor and urged his coworker to his feet. She turned her attention to the couple in the doorway barely noticing they had not been cuffed as she ordered.

Melinda stepped forward. "I want my child, Fox. Now. And if there is so much of a scratch on her because of this freak quake I will wipe the floor with your f…"

"Mel," Phil stepped behind and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Give her a minute, she's a little shaken…"

"Shaking will be the least of her worry if our daughter isn't produced in the next two minutes." Melinda hiss through her teeth. She knew as well as Phil that Skye was not in the building and there was no way for the agent to do as she demanded. Fox would have no choice but to admit her lie and let them go. She would insist Daisy accompany them. The agent had no solid reason to hold the girl.

Fox glared back at the woman standing on the opposite side of her desk. She'd lost the upper hand. She'd hoped to turn one of these fools but nothing seemed to shake them. If nothing else she would find out how Johnson had managed to duplicate her own DNA for Skye's or vice versa. Whatever agency they worked with was far more advanced than this FBI and she intended to find out why. There were too many loose ends, too many things that did not add up or make sense. Too much of this whole situation was ridiculous. If she hadn't found proof that Skye Coulson had been born she would sweat the entire thing had been nothing but a farce.

But, this…this whatever it was that shook heaven and earth might give her an out. Yes, in all the confusion the girl could have just wandered out of the building. Or better yet, since no one had any idea where she'd stashed Johnson she could suggest that perp found the girl and disappeared in the chaos. No one could prove that or disprove it. Everyone was too busy trying to save their own ass than to pay attention to what anyone else was doing. Maybe the agents that took Johnson from her office never made it to the holding area and the girl slipped away. She was good as disappearing. Maybe she had for good. She'd add Skye Coulson to the Missing and Exploited Children Database and assign the case to some other agent. They'd continue looking but she already knew the child would never be found.

Never breaking eye contact with Melinda she picked up her phone and punched one of the buttons. Waiting a few seconds, she barked into the receiver. "Bring the girl to my office," then slammed it back down.

xx

Coulson rushed into Fitz's computer room a step before Melinda and two before Jemma. The young doctor stepped around both older agents and pointed to the gurneys.

"Put her here," she patted a hand on the mattress Daisy had used throughout there journeys into the computer world. Jemma grabbed leads from the table and began attaching them before Coulson had the little girl down on the gurney. "The headset," Jemma nodded toward it. "Put it on, quickly." Her voice held that little squeak that belied her growing anxiety.

May grabbed the piece and slid it over the child's head, making adjustments to keep it in place. She looked up at the biometers that were bouncing like figures in an erratic video game. Alarms screamed and lights flashed as the doctor looked to the screens then pulled a stethoscope from the table and tried to hear the little girl's heart beating above the noise.

Coulson moved across the room and stood behind Fitz watching as the young man's fingers danced across the keyboard. He looked up at the screen, not really knowing what he was looking at or looking for but hoping what he saw was good. The spinning and spiking of the figures on these screens were as disconcerting as those above the little girl's mattress.

May's hand wrapped around Simmons' wrist causing the doctor to look up from her patient. "Save my child, Jemma, please," she whispered.

Jemma blinked the tears away and nodded in a breath as another rumble rolled across the room. The lights blinked twice. Jemma looked up at the biometers that had fallen to nonexistence as Fitz's figures halted their spinning in one move and hung motionless on the screen. The doctor grabbed the light blanket at the base of the gurney and threw it over the little girl a second before the rumble turned violent and through all occupants of the room to the floor.

Fitz's chair bounced back and crashed into Coulson sending both men sprawling on the floor in a tangle of arms and legs as May and Simmons went to their knees on either side of the gurney. The mother struggled to pull herself upright and protect the child who laid on it, but could do no more than grasp the edge and hope to catch the little body if it should tumble from the side. Jemma slammed her hands on the floor and grit her teeth as the floor continued to shake. She closed her eyes and regretted the fact that if this was the end she could not get to her soul mate. The young doctor wondered if the man across the room thought the same thing.

With one high pitched squeal the room went dark and still. The agents froze in place waiting for what would come, unsure if it were safe to move in the complete blackness that engulfed them. A small hum started somewhere a second before the telltale beep of the biometers filled the room and the bluish green lights of the computer screens blipped into action showing all concentric circles winding in relaxed swirls. The lights blinked again before illuminating the room as Fitz pulled himself free of the overturned chair and stared at his monitors.

Coulson stood and wiped a small drop of blood from his eyebrow unsure of what he had struck on his way to the floor. Jemma reached up to pull herself from the floor but May was already on her feet reaching to check on her little girl.

"Daisy," May breathed as a smile grew across her face. "Daisy," she spoke out loud, the relief and joy apparent in her voice.

Coulson was at her side in an instance pulling the girl's hand into his own. He blinked away a tear and wrapped the other arm around May's shoulders. Both looked to Jemma who was busy checking vitals alternately looking to the biometer screens that had quieted and now calmly blipped out readings that looked as normal as the first day they had been used.

The doctor smiled up at the couple on the opposite side of the bed. "She's fine." She sighed and noticed Fitz's relieved breath release as he still stood in front of the computers.

xx

Skye opened her eyes and quickly pushed herself from the floor. The room was mostly dark, lit only by a thin sliver of light that leaked in through a small opening in the door. She grabbed her arm expecting to find the pain still there but smiled when she felt nothing but…but arm. Skye smiled as she pushed herself to her feet and almost stumbled over the pair of jeans that puddled around her feet. Pulling herself free she felt the soft sweater that fell to her knees and held up the sleeves that drooped over her hands like swim flippers. The little girl grabbed the ends and pulled them up to free her hands then wrapped both around the doorknob and pulled the door open just enough to see into the hall.

People were moving quickly up and down and everyone looked scared but relieved scared like whatever made them that way was gone but they still were shaky. Skye knew that feeling. She looked up and down the corridor and knew immediately she was no longer in the burnt out place where Daisy lived. Everything here was clean and the people were dressed differently. She stood against the door and just watched. It wasn't a place she'd ever been before and she wasn't quite sure what to do next.

A shadow suddenly blocked her view and she looked up at the large man that stood before the door. With a quick gasp, Skye backed away, moving to the wall as the man yanked at the door a few times before it opened. She looked in all directions but found nowhere to hide except behind an overturned table that would not give much protection. The man would be inside before she could get there and he would find her very quickly. There was no escape so she did what any kid would face with the same situation.

Skye Coulson clenched her fists, closed her eyes and screamed at the top of her lungs. "MOMMY!"

xx

"What?" Fox narrowed her eyes as she growled into the phone. "I'll be right there." She barked then dropped the phone into its place.

"You'll have to excuse me," she announced as she stepped over debris toward the door. "Something needs my attention."

Melinda grabbed her arm. "Whatever it is, we'll be going as well."

Fox glared for a moment, looking from Melinda's grasp on her arm to the woman's face and then back. Melinda did not take the hint and did not let go. Fox narrowed her gaze, yanked her arm free and gave a nod before continuing toward the door with Melinda and Phil following.

xx

The small group exited the elevator, on the basement level, and was met by a young agent with a frazzled look. "It must have happened during the tremor, ma'am." He began rapidly, but was silenced by her glare.

A second agent stepped forward and added. "No one's been in or out since we did as you asked." He hurried to match her steps.

Melinda stopped for a second recognizing the small voice that came from a room a few feet away. She shoved Fox into the wall and stormed past with Phil a half step behind. "Skye!" she called as she broke into a run.

"Mommy!" the voice called. "Mommy!"

Skye shook off the hand of the female agent that had been trying to console her. She pushed against the door of the small office and ran into the hall.

"Skye!" Melinda and Phil called in tandem.

The child dashed into their open arms, smothered by their hugs and kisses as the family reunited.

 _¹Stand down, agent. This is my fight._

 _²Have fun, mother._


	56. You Know I Wouldn't Be Surprised

**Chapter 56**

 **You Know I Wouldn't Be Surprised**

"Why isn't she waking up?" May asked but did look at Simmons. She brushed a stray hair from Daisy's peaceful face and squeezed the cold hand that she held. Phil stood just behind her, a look of worry more than apparent on his.

Jemma took the stethoscope from Daisy's chest and looked up at the monitors. "Everything is fine…normal…perhaps it just takes a bit of readjusting." She stood back and smiled at the older couple. "How many of us grow up in just a few seconds? It has to be exhausting?"

It was a feeble attempt at humor and neither Coulson nor May cracked the smallest of grins. Jemma offered a weak apologetic smile and looked toward Fitz who was busy, as usual, at his keyboards. Her attention was drawn back quickly at a soft moan from Daisy.

"Mom…"

It was just a word, an almost mumbled sound that some might even say was nothing more than a sigh, but Melinda May heard and squeezed the hand she brought to her chest as she leaned closer to the semi-conscious girl on the gurney. "We're here, Daisy, we're both here…" She smoothed her hand across the girl's forehead and waited for a response.

Daisy drew a satisfied breath and let it out in a soft sigh before blinking a few times. Her eyes grew with the realization of where she was as she inhaled quickly and glanced from face to face. "M-May…May…Coulson…" The smile was evident in her voice as she turned to look at her friend, "Jemma, Jemma I made it." She started to rise and was quickly pushed back to the mattress by the young doctor who shook her head rapidly.

"No, no, Jemma, no…really, I'm fine…a little woozy, but fine." She pushed herself up on one elbow. May quickly grabbed the sheet that was covering the girl and pulled it to her neck before gently pushing her back to the mattress as Jemma leaned closer.

"You may be fine, but it seems your wardrobe did not follow you home and," she cast a quick glance at the sheet and gave a little frown.

Daisy's eyes widened as she looked to May who had a knowing smile as she gave a tiny nod and Coulson turned away. Slowly the girl lifted the sheet with two fingers and peeked beneath at the clothing that seemed to be shredded much worse than those purple PJ's. She dropped the sheet and pulled it closer around herself.

"Damn it, Fitz! You're a genius! You couldn't anticipate this?" Daisy complained as Jemma turned to hide her laughter. Despite the seriousness of the situation, she could not help giggling at Daisy's expense.

"I'm sure there's a robe here you can borrow. We stored some just in case." She walked toward a large cabinet against the far wall.

"Geez, you thought of robes just in case but not the difference in clothing sizes. Come on, Fitz!" Daisy continued grumbling. The young man waved a hand in her direction but otherwise ignored her complaints.

"Actually we anticipated a much different sort of emergency, more medical than," Jemma looked up and down the sheet now tucked all around her friend. "Well, more than fashionable," she finished as she tossed the rob across Daisy's midsection. "Now if you gentlemen would give us a bit of privacy, I can get Daisy up and to the med lab for a complete physical. Daisy let out a groan and squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

"I'm fine Simmons, really." Daisy protested.

May stood with her arms crossed over her chest as Coulson turned away a second time, shook his head and moved to block Fitz's view. Apparently the younger man had not been paying any attention to what was going on across the room. Coulson shook his head as he watched Fitz's fingers dancing over the keys.

Daisy sat up and flung the robe around her shoulders narrowly missing May who moved away effortlessly. She stood and pulled the item together then tied the belt snug around her waist. "Skye?" She asked, clearly concerned as she turned back to face her mother.

"Back where she belongs, I should hope." Jemma interjected as she placed a thermometer in Daisy's ear. The younger girl waved her away as she ducked her head and slipped around the table.

Coulson turned as soon as he realized everyone was 'descent', hurried across the room and engulfed Daisy in a bear hug, burying her in the embrace. "I'm so glad your okay, kiddo." He whispered softly as he placed a quick kiss on the top of her head. Before she could respond or wriggle away, he added, "but we have a lot to talk about." He felt more than heard her reply as she nodded her head against him.

When he released her she looked up at him and blinked away a few tears. He smiled a sad smile back at her and nodded toward May who stood behind them. Daisy swallowed and took a deep breath before turning around, but still leaning against Coulson.

May's glare was enough to melt her into a pile of goo, but that was just the usual. She'd probably never lose that feeling when facing her mentor/mother's wrath. Coulson gave her a gentle nudge that she tried to ignore, until he gave her a not so gentle one.

"May…I…I know it was stupid…and…and dangerous…and…" she tried to maintain eye contact but those electric eyes were boring a hole through her, telling her to continue without uttering a word. She looked back to Coulson, who pulled his lips together and shook his head.

"Aaaannnndddd…" she drew out the word as she turned back. "And I know you said not to but…I…had to…I couldn't just let them…and everything was frozen…" She looked back at Fitz who still furiously worked at his program. "And I was the only…I know you don't like to hear I'm sorry and I'm not even sure I am, May." She waited for some kind of reaction, some kind of change in May's expression or stance but nothing. "I…"

Daisy didn't finish the remark. May stepped forward silencing the girl a half second before wrapping her in a tight embrace. For a moment the girl froze, unsure, then relaxed into it and hugged back, relishing the feel of her mother's arms around her. Until this moment she hadn't realized just how much she missed this May.

"I'm glad you're safe, Daisy." May spoke softly then pushed back and held the girl out as if taking in her entire presence. She reached up and tucked a hair behind her ear. "Go with Simmons. We'll talk after she's given you a clean bill of health."

Daisy smiled, gave a quick nod and followed Jemma from the room.

xx

Fox turned to the agents watching the small girl greet her parents. Each wore the smile that said case closed, child safe.

"Where the HELL did that kid come from?!" The incensed agent's voice shattered the silent celebration.

Every agent froze, coming to almost military attention as they faced their superior. Not one dared to speak.

"I want to go home, Mommy." Skye whispered as Phil lifted her into his arms and Melinda pulled down the sweater to cover her little girl. "I don't like that lady. She was real mean to Daisy."

Phil and Melinda exchanged a quick glance before Melinda placed a finger over Skye's lips. "Let's not talk about Daisy here, okay." She whispered as she nodded and smiled at her little girl.

Skye smiled back and snuggled closer to Phil.

Fox grumbled under her breath turning from her subordinates to the Coulsons and then back. "I asked a question and I expect one of you morons to have an answer." She roared, ignoring the little girl who pushed her hands over her ears.

"She…she was just here and screaming for her mother and…" the only young woman in the group started then snapped her mouth shut at Fox's glare.

"The girl was in the room where you told me to lock up Johnson," a large agent with a baritone voice began. "One I locked it, it wasn't opened until that shaking took it off its hinges. I had to yank it off to get her out."

"Where's Johnson?" Fox growled through her teeth.

The large man shook his head. "That's all we found." He nodded toward the jeans folded across the only table in the room. A pair of sneakers stood next to them. "If she's out there, she is bare ass naked." A small smile crept across his face that he quickly erased with a heavy cough.

Phil stepped forward still holding Skye in his arms. Melinda was less than a step behind. "We'd like an explanation, Fox." He demanded. "Why was our child locked in that room?"

"I threw up." Skye spoke softly. "When the building started shaking, I threw up."

"We did find vomit on the fl…" the female agent began then stopped when Fox sneered at her.

"Where is Daisy Johnson?" Fox bellowed at the child, who jumped and buried her head in her father's neck.

"That's it Fox, we've had enough." Melinda ripped the agent away from her daughter and threw one punch before Phil could stop her.

Fox stumbled back once as her glasses slid sideways then off her face to the floor. A trickle of blood oozed from her nose as she went to the tile with a loud thud, bounced once then lay eerily still. The three agents stared at her for a moment then looked to Melinda. Phil would swear they smiled and he could not help thinking of that scene in the Wizard of Oz¹ when the witch melts and the soldiers bow to Dorothy.

Skye peeked from under her arm. "Can we go home now, Daddy?"

"Ab-so-lute-lee," Phil smiled as the large agent gave him a nod.

xx

Daisy rubbed a towel on the back of her still damp hair for a few more minutes before she tossed it across the nearest chair and pulled on a pair of black jeans and tank top. It felt great to wear her own clothes again. Even the weird smell of the old base was a welcome relief and one she never thought she'd miss, but she was home. Dropping to the bed she reached for her brush as a light knock on the door drew her attention. Hopefully someone was there to tell her it was meal time because she couldn't really remember that last time she ate but it seemed like ages ago and she was starving. She dropped the brush and bounced to the door. She couldn't help it. She was back. Skye was back. The program was fixed. Everything was back in order…well, as orderly as it could be given the circumstances. But everybody was safe. She smiled as she pulled open the door.

"I hope you're here to call me to supper cuz I am star…ving." The last words kind of fell out as she recognized May's look of displeasure on the other side.

"Not quite," she remarked, sucking in one side of her lip and staring with that frozen scowl. "We need to talk." It wasn't even a statement. It was more like a command.

Daisy nodded and stepped aside allowing May to enter the room. She closed the door slowly, gathering her thoughts before turning to face her mother. There was a price for stupidity and she was surely going to pay it.

Despite the feeling of extreme anxiety, Daisy couldn't help the little giggle in her voice. "Look, May, I know you're angry and you…you should be. What I did was soooooo stupid and…" She stopped when May's eyebrows raised just a smidge then returned to her growl face.

There was really no excuse and certainly no way to get out of this. May was super pissed and she might as well just shut her mouth and take her medicine. For a minute that thought made her chuckle but she drew a straight face at May's stern glance. Daisy stuck her hands in her pockets and waited.

May let out a hiss that sent chills up the girl's spine. Damn, after all this time it still got to her. "I'm not here to tell you how stupid you acted."

Daisy gave a tiny nod as she pulled her hands from her pockets and folded them behind her back.

"Or to remind you what a difficult time you have following orders."

Another almost imperceptible nod.

"I'm not even here to let you know how angry all of this has made me or Coulson, or how terrified we were that we might never see you again."

This time Daisy lowered her eyes to the floor, ashamed of the hardship she had caused…again.

"I won't tell you how much danger you put yourself in or how you risked that little girl's life…"

That one hurt. She never meant to endanger Skye.

"I am not here to rant or rave or lecture or read you the riot act. We've done that."

Again, Daisy nodded but still did not look up from the floor. She watched May's feet as she walked to the bottom of the bed then turned and walked back. An uncomfortable silence filled the room.

"I'll meet you in the gym in less than five." Daisy offered softly then moved to collect her workout clothes.

"You're a grown woman, Daisy." May stopped her cold. "You have been as long as I know you. You're old enough to make your own mistakes and live with the natural consequences. No amount of training or specialized exercise can change that. And for that, I'm sorry. I've taught you everything an agent needs, Daisy, and you are an excellent agent…almost the best." The woman actually almost smiled. "But you are who you are and that I cannot change. Because of choices I made and those of others I could not control, I lost that privilege." Now she looked close to tears, but she pulled that ninja face back into place as quickly as it faded. "I won't try to influence your decisions or bring you to task for doing the opposite of what I feel is right."

What that statement she let out a soft breath and added. "I am glad you're home and safe. Coulson has a feast planned to celebrate. It should be ready by now. You should join him." She headed for the door.

Daisy was dumbfounded but she shook it off. "Wh…what about you? Aren't you coming?"

May stood in the now open doorway with her back to the young girl. "I was never one for celebrations. I've said what needed to be said. Goodnight, Daisy." She walked away quickly, before Daisy could react or say anything to stop her but the girl shook off her shock and hurried to the door.

"May! Wait!" She looked in both directions but the woman had already disappeared.

xx

"Fitz, you've been at that for hours. I thought the program was fixed and all was well again." Jemma sighed as she paced back and forth behind Fitz who still had his head in a small note book where he was scribbling figures.

"There is no program, Jemma." He mumbled without looking up or stopping his calculations.

Jemma stopped and looked at him with an open mouth. "What do you mean there's no program?" She held out a hand toward the large screen where tiny green digits swirled in multiple tornadoes. "It's right it front of you. It's what you've created."

"I haven't created anything, Jemma." Fitz answered then placed the pencil between his teeth and typed again into his computer. He watched as the little concentric circles wriggled a bit under his editing then wormed back into the same rhythm. "Nothing at all," he whispered to himself.

"Fitz," she stepped next to him. "What is wrong with you? You surely need a break."

The man pulled away and smiled. "No, Jemma. I'm fine. I just need to be sure…just a few more calculations and…" He typed again into the program and watched the circles move to one side and then the other almost as if avoiding the new digits he had added. Jemma watched almost stupefied by the motion on the screen.

"What are you doing? Why is it doing that?" She wondered as she moved closer.

"Hugh Everett," Fitz smiled as if that was the only explanation she needed.

Jemma stood back and shook her head. "That is the second time you've used that name and I cannot see any reason what a man who worked in defense analysis and created a high-performance microwave reactor designed for sequential small-scale microwave synthesis applications has anything to do with your program." She was clearly as frustrated as he was excited.

"Yes, Jemma, yes Dr. Everett did all of that but he also gave us the answers to all of this." He spread his arms wide and turned around encompassing the entire room.

Jemma followed his motion and began to worry. Was the pressure too much? Was Fitz having some sort of breakdown? "Fitz," she spoke slowly and softly, reaching out to place her hand on his arm. "You built this, all of it. You put it together bit by bit."

"I did, Jemma." He smiled as he took her hand, squeezed it and then surprisingly brought it to his lips and kissed it. "I put this together and did not even realize what I'd done. And yet here it is, right here in front of us."

"Fitz, I…" Jemma was speechless.

He still held her hand and slowly walked her to the gurney where Daisy had appeared a few hours before. He smiled and slid the opposite hand over the soft leather. "What is your biggest question about all of this, Jemma?"

Jemma shook her head, lost between terror and confusion. "I don't know, Fitz. I…"

"Skye," he turned and smiled at her. "How could a little computer generated girl just pop into reality and be just as human as you and I?"

"Well, yes, of course…but…"

Again he cut her off, dropping her hand and moving to the opposite side of the gurney to face her. "She appeared here as a human because she is human. Skye is a real child, not part of some wild computer program that spits out people at will. It isn't flipping Daisy and Skye back and forth and they appear as separate entities because they are. They are two distinct individuals living their own lives and I…we have somehow punched a hole into that separate reality proving Dr. Everett's theory of multiverses." He smiled broadly, expecting her to be as excited as he was.

"Oh, Fitz," Jemma drew back and stopped mid comment.

Fitz quickly moved back to her side. "I know, I know it seems impossible but there are dozens of physicists that agree with him."

"And dozen's more who feel it is nothing more than science fiction." Jemma sighed.

"Think about it Jemma. Everett contends that other universes can exist outside of our own, where we exist making different choices and living much different lives."

"Fitz, you know that is just fodder for comic books and superhero serials. It isn't real." Jemma shook her head.

Fitz put his hand on his hips and eyed her with a smile. "After everything we've been through and all of the preposterous things we've had to deal with, you cannot believe this might just be true. Damn it, Jemma you lived on another planet for more than six months and Daisy's moves matter with…with a power we've yet to and probably never will understand."

"But Fitz, this is an old argument. It probably made the man a laughing stock."

"Billions of years ago the universe was an insignificant singularity and then something triggered something and," he put his finger together then flung out his hands and arms while making a loud explosive noise. "Everything changed, expanded and inflated in three dimensional space and when it all cooled and the light shined through and all those particles floating about became what we call plants and galaxies." Fitz elaborated.

Jemma let out a snort. "I know the science Fitz. I am familiar with the big bang theory."

He smiled and pointed at her. "Yes, but what is it that says there's but one universe or that there could only be one. We believe there is only one because we're inside and can't see outside but what if this," he turned and pressed both hands toward his mainframe. "This right here, what if _this_ is the means we need to not just see between those universes but actually move between them?" He turned and smiled for the first time in days, months actually. "What if this a means for us to look beyond what we are and wee what else we might have been."

Jemma let out a long breath. "We've already had that experience, Fitz. It was not pleasant. I'm not sure I want to see myself as a villain or an instrument of destruction. I don't think any of us do."

Fitz sighed, losing all of the delight he had in his theory. He leaned forward and grabbed the back of his chair and hung his head. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to push away the memory of The Doctor, the monster he was in AIDA's Hell. Jemma moved closer and placed a hand on his back, rubbing softly.

"It's a wonderful idea, Fitz for Coulson and May and Daisy. It's wonderful for all three of them to realize that in some other reality their choices kept the family together and happy, that no monster stole their baby and broke their lives forever." She laid her head on his shoulder as she spoke.

"The only thing I cannot fathom is why Coulson and May become their alternate personalities while Daisy remains separate. I've been ciphering all day and it still escapes me." He let out a frustrated breath.

Jemma smiled and patted his chest. "Perhaps it's time to take a bit of a break then. Coulson's made lasagna and garlic toast to celebrate Daisy's return. Dinner?" She hoped.

"I really should tried at least…" he felt her deflate at his side and wrapped an arm around her. "Lasagna sounds good and I am a bit peckish." He patted his tummy and smiled at her.

A warm feeling ran over Jemma. Was her Fitz coming back? She could only hope and if working to prove this theory brought this change in him she would do what she was able to help.

xx

Phil carried his daughter, wrapped in the blanket the large agent provided, into the house a few steps behind Melinda. Halfway through the drive home Skye finally realized she was wearing nothing more than Daisy's ribbed sweater. The rest of the large clothing had slipped off when she appeared in the dark room.

Skye stared at her bare toes and stretched the sweater as far as she could below her knees. "I don't want to get out of the car, mommy." She moaned. "I don't want anybody to see me."

"Don't you worry, sweet pickle," Phil looked into the rear view mirror and spoke to the child. "I'm gonna wrap you up like a snuggle bug and whisk you right up to your room before anyone even knows you're back."

"I'm not a pickle, Daddy." Skye giggled. Melanie felt her breath catch at the sound. She'd missed it more than she could ever imagine.

True to his word, Phil wrapped the little girl in the blanket and rushed her in the door and up the steps before William or Lian had a chance to say or do a thing. He'd let Melinda do the explaining. Once inside the bedroom he placed his cargo on the floor and smiled as she tossed her head back and forth to clear the hair from her eyes. He smiled at his little girl as she stood holding tightly to the dark blanket.

After a few seconds, Skye raised her eyebrows.

Phil looked behind himself and then back wondering what the little girl had seen. He raised his own brows and waited. Skye moved from foot to foot and wagged her head.

"Da-dee," she almost sang. "I needa change and you needa go."

Phil's mouth formed a small 'o' as his brows went to his hairline and he pointed to himself and then the doorway. "Yeah, right, sorry angel, I guess I forgot how grown up you are." He smiled as he placed both hands on her cheeks and bent to kiss her forehead. "Hurry," he reminded her as he stepped into the hall and pulled the door behind him. "Everyone is anxious to see you."

As soon as the door clicked closed, the little girl dropped the blanket and pulled the clothing she needed from the drawers in her dresser. It took less than two minutes and ran down the stairs despite the rule that walking was preferred. Skye didn't really care because the alternative was slipping down the banister. She burst into the living room with a roar.

"YEYE!" Skye bellowed as she plowed into her grandfather almost knocking the man off balance. She wrapped her arms around him for a second before he lifted her and wrapped her in his own.

"Sunnu," William sighed as he held the little girl close. "Tiánmì de háizi, wǒ hěn gāoxìng nǐ hěn ānquán.²"

"Thank you for taking care of my Daisy, Yeye. She really likes you." Skye whispered in her grandfather's ear.

William smiled and gave the little girl a tight squeeze before setting her back on her bare feet. Skye smiled up at him.

"Where are your shoes, Zhen Ju?" Lian snarled, with arms across her chest.

Skye turned slowly and looked into her grandmother's steel grey eyes, then at her feet wishing she could suck them up into her pant legs. She looked back up at her grandmother, unable to provide an answer that would be suitable or acceptable.

Lian smiled, a real smile and opened her arms. Skye hesitated for a moment, urged ahead by her grandfather's nudge then smiled and ran to greet her grandmother. Lian wrapped her arms around the little girl. "Welcome home, Skye. We are all anxious to hear of your grand adventure."

Skye hugged her grandmother back, realizing the strength of the small slender woman for the first time. She looked up and smiled. "You should have seen it Nainai, Mommy socked that mean lady right in the nose. There was blood everywhere."

Lian looked to Melinda who gave a slight nod. The older woman returned it with her approval. It was less than she would have done, but enough for now.

"I didn't even know Mommy could do that." Skye smiled as she stepped away from her grandmother and snuggled into her mother's side. "Can you teach me? Pleeeeeeezzzz." She begged.

Melinda laughed as she wrapped an arm around the little girl and planted a kiss on her head. "Maybe, someday baobei but right now I think we'll just see what Yeye has for lunch."

"Awwww," Skye whined as she dragged herself along with the others to the kitchen. Something did smell good and somewhere in all that yummy smell was Yeye's walnut cookies. They were so glad to see her maybe she'd get extra. Yet, it wasn't the sesame chicken or noodles or cookies Skye spotted when she entered the kitchen. She zeroed in on one thing.

"MY LAPTOP! It's back!" She raced to the small desk in the alcove and ran her hands over the keyboard. "Is it mine for keeps now? Can I use it?" She squeaked without turning around.

"I think that thing has caused enough trouble." Melinda scoffed. "It should be trashed and burned."

Skye spun and looked at her mother with wide eyes. "No, mommy, please no. I'll be good with it. I'll follow all the rules and Daisy fixed it all the trouble is gone now. Please don't crush it mommy." The child was almost in tears.

"Melinda, I do not think this device can cause any more harm. As she has said, Daisy has made sure it is safe. We know she would not cause harm to Skye or to anyone else." Lian remarked.

Skye bounced up and down on her toes with her hands clenched in front of her. Melinda shook her head.

"Come on, Mel." Phil smiled. "Don't torture the kid."

Melinda let out a long fluttery breath and shook her head. She looked at Phil and then Skye. "Alright, bu…"

Skye was screaming and shrieking so loud she heard nothing after 'alright'. She bounced and jumped all around the small desk before diving into Melinda and wrapping her in a crushing hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, mommy. I love you so much." She squealed again as she tightened her hug.

"Hold on there, little girl," Melinda used her best mom voice and held Skye at arms length before her. "Same rules as before, two hours a day, no exceptions and if I catch you sneaking it out after midnight you will not sit down until graduation day. Got it?"

"Yes, mommy, yes, I promise, yes." Skye nodded a second before she dove in for another hug.

"And before you ask if you can use it now, the answer is no. We are going to sit down and have a family dinner and then we are going to just spend time together." She felt the excitement go out of her little girl but also felt her nod. Melinda kissed her daughter again. "Good girl, now go wash your hands and come to the table."

Skye leaned back and looked up at her mother. She smiled. "I still love you, mommy, zǒng shì³"

Melinda smiled back and sent her little girl off with a playful swat. She turned back to the others and cast a quick glance at the laptop. "That thing gets locked up every night."

Phil gave a quick nod before he chuckled a bit.

"Come, Mellie," William urged, setting a small cup and saucer on the table. "You will find a cup of tea quite soothing."

 _¹The Wizard of Oz, Warner Brothers, 1939, Victor Fleming, King Vidor_

 _²I have missed you, sweet child._

 _³always_


	57. I Saw it Hidden Deep in Your Eyes

**Chapter 57**

 **I Saw it Hidden Deep in Your Eyes**

Coulson pushed open the metal door that lead to the roof of the abandoned warehouse that covered what was left of the Playground. He'd never actually been to the roof but since no one had seen Daisy for hours and he'd exhausted all of her other 'hiding spots', this was his last resort. He smiled at the dark figure hunched over in the center of the large expanse of air conditioning units and an old water tower. Carrying the jacket he had taken just in case, he walked toward the girl already knowing she heard him coming.

The man gently draped the jacket over the girl's shoulders as he lowered himself down to sit next to her. He followed her gaze to the fuzzy lights of the city a few miles in the distance then looked up at the star filled sky. She did not react to his presence, simply stared ahead but focused on nothing. The silence between them was deafening. Coulson picked up a handful of small pebbles that lay on the concrete surface and shuffled them in his hand for a few minutes before taking one and tossing it into a large puddle of something about ten feet away.

"Use to skip a rock almost ten times across the lake at home…" he mused as he tossed another that actually bounced three times on the dark liquid.

Daisy looked away, turning her head from her father.

Coulson dropped the pebbles next to him and folded his hands on top of his bent knees. "You were pretty quiet at dinner." He remarked without looking at her.

The girl shrugged once and reached down between her own bent legs to draw circles in the dust on the concrete.

The man watched her fingers slowly winding in the dirt that had gathered there over the years. He let out a slow breath. "Not my best, huh? Hard to get everything I need these days."

Daisy didn't answer. She really had only picked at dinner. It smelled wonderful but she had little appetite after her brief encounter with May. She knew her mentor would be angry, livid in fact, but she never expected her to just walk away. She never expected the pain it left her with or the loss she felt. And now, here was Coulson, Dad, her real dad probably come to tell her pretty much the same thing. She should have guessed it, should have known she'd just screw everything up like she always did. She didn't deserve them anyway. They were lucky they _didn't_ have to put up with her all her life. She would have made them miserable, probably would have driven them apart and then had them arguing over which one would have to take custody of her.

She'd cry but she was pretty sure she had no tears left.

Coulson laughed once, causing her to jump. "Haven't seen May in hours either." He smiled and wrapped an arm around Daisy's shoulders. "Figured you were off on another mother/daughter workout session." He offered a weak smile as she shrugged off his attempt at comfort. With a look of confused rejection he pulled his hands back in front of himself and rubbed them together. "I didn't think I'd find you sitting up here." He asked his hands then smiled and cast his daughter a quick glance. "Didn't think I'd find you _sitting_ anywhere." He gave her a little bump with his shoulder.

Daisy moved away a few inches, still refusing to meet his eyes.

"Come on, kid, it couldn't be that bad. I know May was pissed but she…" Coulson started, turning toward the girl.

"She didn't do anything." Daisy replied dryly, still looking away. She used the back of her sleeve to push away a tear that dared to fall.

Coulson stopped and stared at the girl for a moment, then wrapped his arms around his knees and sat waiting for her to make the next move. Whatever was up with her was a mystery to him and if she was anything like her mother, whom he knew she was, it would take a while for her to open up about it. He was patient. He could wait.

By the twenty minute mark, the man was sure his ass had gone permanently to sleep and seriously doubted he would ever raise from his 'criss cross applesauce' position on the concrete rooftop. He couldn't get up now and make a dignified exit. Nope he was pretty sure he'd have to roll over and crawl to the nearest AC unit, pull himself up and hope he could walk back to the door before collapsing.

Daisy stood in one fluid movement and walked to the edge of the roof. She pulled the jacket closer around her shoulders and tossed her head to the side as the cool end of summer night breeze gently blew her hair across her face. Coulson shook his head and grunted as he pushed himself up slowly. He was glad the kid was facing away. Lack of exercise had left him a little sloppy and he intended to have a long talk with May about getting out the mats as soon as they found a safe place to do so. He stood for a moment and grimaced at the pins and needles that ran from his butt cheeks to his ankles. Rubbing the feeling off, he took a limpy step then a few more before regaining his normal stride and moving to the girl's side.

They stood side by side peering over the edge. "Looks pretty from up here where you can't see all that insanity that goes on day to day."

"I'm _part_ of that insanity?" Daisy spoke for the first time in a voice so small he barely heard.

"What?" Coulson narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "No, of course not." He turned to her, noticing the streaks of tears that had fallen. "Daisy," he whispered. "Talk to me."

The girl narrowed her lips and shook her head, again turning so as not to face him. This time he gently pulled her back. "Hey, kid, tell me."

She looked into his eyes for a moment before melting into his embrace, sobbing uncontrollably. He was totally confused but rocked side to side as he shushed her and kissed the top of her head. There really was no other choice. He just let her cry it out, pulling his ever present handkerchief from his pocket and holding it out to her.

"Are…are you done with me?" She hiccoughed after blowing her nose three times.

"Done?" He smiled although he was still so confused it hurt. "We haven't _done_ anything." He said more to himself than to her.

"I'm an adult." Daisy sniffled, although she didn't sound very adult right now. "I should know right from wrong. You," she nodded at him. "You want me to lead, you said I'd be good at it." She shook her head and wiped another tear from her face. "I can't _follow_ orders, Coulson. I'll never be able to _give_ them." She shook her head and tried unsuccessfully to stop the new flow of tears.

Coulson placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed out in front of him. He shook his head and crinkled his brow. "Where the hell is all this coming from, Daisy? What happened in there?"

"I screwed up…again, I screwed everything up just like I always do…just like Puerto Rice and Hive and the Watch Dogs and everything else I touch. I'm just no good and definitely _not_ the kid you deserve. May knows that. You have to accept it too." She growled through her tears as she pushed his hands away and clenched her fists at her sides.

"May…what?" Coulson spoke to air as Daisy walked around him to stand in the center of the roof. "Daisy…" He noticed she was gone and turned to locate her. "Daisy," he stormed across the concrete to stand in front of her. "Talk to me, please."

"Nothing happened in there, Coulson…" She thought for a moment then wiped her nose quickly. "Well, nothing that hurts here. Everything is fine there. That kid is a good kid and I need to stay far away from her. I can't influence her or turn into…." She stepped back and slid her hands down her sides. "Into this stupid jerk that destroys everything she touches."

Coulson drew a breath and took the girl by the upper arms giving one firm shake. "Stop, stop right now."

She tried to pull away but he tightened his grip and glared at her. "Where is all this coming from?"

"I'm just not worth it…You? May? Losing me was the best thing that ever happened to you." Daisy spat, the hurt turning into something much uglier.

"Enough!" Coulson barked. "Not one more word, Daisy, not one." He let go of one arm and held up a finger in front of her face. Usually that was all it took, but the girl opened her mouth to speak. "I said not one." Coulson ordered. "One, Daisy just one and I might just forget how adult you are and apply a little discipline of my own."

Daisy snapped her mouth closed, not that she took Coulson's threat seriously. He would never… Well, she was sure he wouldn't do anything drastic. She blinked at him and gave a quick nod.

"Good," the man's voice calmed. "Now what's that thing May does…breathe, just breathe...deep breaths in and hold it and then out slow." He looked at her looking back at him. "Come on, do it with me…in…out…in…out…" Daisy smiled a surrender and breathed with him until she did, in fact, feel the calm overtake her and once again fell into his embrace. He held her for moment before speaking quietly. "Okay, now from the beginning…what's all this about?"

xx

Coulson slid the door to Daisy's bunk closed with a soft thud. He'd spent the last two hours listening and comforting until the girl fell into a restless sleep. Pacing across her room while she tossed and turned he tried to make sense of May's actions and wondered again where the hell the woman had disappeared to since Daisy's return. A little after eleven he dropped down on the side of the mattress and did something he remembered from his time with Skye.

There were times the little girl woke with nightmares or anxiety over something she'd need to face in the morning or sometime the next day. In those times, Daddy Phil hustled her back to her bed sat next to her rubbing her back while humming songs he remembered his mother singing to calm him on nights very much the same. Tonight, Phil shrugged his shoulders and did the same. He smiled to himself when it worked and Daisy finally relaxed, sleeping peacefully when he left.

He had one mission.

Find May.

xx

May walked away from Daisy's bunk…and kept walking. She kept walking through the base and into its deepest darkest recesses. She found a place as dark and desolate as she felt and screamed at the top of her lungs, screamed until her throat was raw with it. She was angrier than she could ever imagine being angry. Angry with herself, with fate, with life, with the unfairness of everything she could not control including her headstrong, stubborn, too much like her-daughter. She kicked at chunks of concrete sending them into bits of rock and powder then put her fist through what was left of a wall before she made her way to what was left of an old gym and beat a leather bag until its seems burst and the mildew stench of its insides spilled across the black floor like some beast's innards. Everything became a target and nothing survived her attacks. From the little black cave to the small Tack room May crushed and crumbled everything in her path then spent the rest of the time wrestling and taking down invisible foes until her body finally gave up. She went to her knees on the mats she had taken Daisy to a little more than a week ago and finally let out the tears she had refused to shed.

She'd lost her…again…lost her sweet child because of her own need to be in control. Daisy was an adult. She'd lost all those years and no asinine computer program could give it back. All that damn thing was doing was putting them in danger and not just them but that little version of her sweet girl. That sweet little girl that looked back at her every time Daisy stared into her eyes. Even the thought of it drove the pain deeper. Nothing could change the past. Nothing could bring back the years they'd lost or make up for all the things she never had the chance to do. Why did she ever agree to this? How could she ever believe it would make anything better?

Daisy blamed herself, even for the fact she was kidnapped by that insane monster all those years ago and then blamed herself all over again for believing those same beasts were her parents when they simply took her again just a few years ago. The girl blamed herself for the pain May lived with all those years and even though Fitz developed this wild and crazy way for Daisy to have the childhood she should have had all along, May knew the girl was trying to give her back the motherhood she had missed as well. Daisy, for all the blame she put on herself, put everyone else first. No matter how much she hurt, the girl sought to take away other's pain first.

May tried but could not erase the pained look on her baby's face when she walked away from her, walked out and left her behind. She caused that pain and she would never forgive herself. She dragged herself back to her bunk and eased her bruised body into the shower, intending to be done, packed and gone before Coulson returned. There were empty bunks on the floor above. She'd find one that was livable and use it until they got out of this hovel.

May wrapped one towel around her body and a second over her hair then stepped out of the small bathroom right into Coulson's accusing stare.

For a moment they simply glared at each other, too wrapped in their convoluted emotions to start any civil conversation. She gave a curt nod and stepped around him, pulling clothing from various drawers. He turned slowly and watched, waiting for her to stop, to turn, to face him…face the issue that would not disappear. When she didn't, he let out the breath he was holding.

"You abandoned her?" He asked in disbelief.

May stopped, dropped the t-shirt she held onto the bed and spun on him. "I did no such thing." She growled.

"That's what she thinks." He barked back.

"She's an adult, Coulson, she doesn't need a mommy. She needs to take responsibility for her own deeds and in her case, misdeeds. That does not mean I've abandoned anything." May snarled.

"Responsibility? That's all she's got, May. She feels responsible for all of this and you just walked away." He spread his arms wide and tried without success not to bellow at her.

May raised a finger and pointed it, poking his shoulder with each word she spoke through her teeth. "I did not desert her. I simply told her she needed to deal with this as an adult and left to do the same thing myself."

"And that means she doesn't need a mo…mother? What the hell, May? Of course she needs a mother and she's always needed you. As far as she's concerned right now you just tossed her back on the heap, just like all the others. She failed you and she can't forgive herself. And she's pretty damn sure you can forgive her either. Damn it, May I looked for her for hours before I found her on the roof and god knows what she was planning up there."

"She wouldn't…" May sneered. She took a deep breath and exhaled. "I wouldn't let her."

"You weren't there, May. She was alone and broken. She thinks she's lost everything." He lowered his voice and spoke softly.

May dropped the towel and shoved her feet into a pair of dark sweatpants then pulled the t-shirt over her head. She drew deep breaths and let them out slowly in an effort to calm herself then walked to the closet and pulled a large box from the shelf. She turned to him without expression as she pushed her feet into a pair of sneakers and dropped the box on the shelf. He could do nothing but watch and moved closer as she shook the lid off the box and peeled away the tissue paper that lined the inside. Coulson smiled when she revealed the contents.

"Ling-a-ling," he breathed as he took the soft stuffed floppy dog from her hands. "How…"

May brushed away a tear before he noticed it and gently took the little animal back. "I've had it all her life…before she drew a breath…" She took a moment to tell him the story of the little dog and how she never had the heart to get rid of it. The only one she'd ever revealed that story to other than Coulson, right now, was Skye. She pulled the floppy stuffed Shih Tzu to her heart and hugged it tightly then turned and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Coulson almost demanded as he took a step toward her. Part of him feared she was about to dispose of the toy.

May pressed her hand against the locking mechanism on the door and kept walking. "I'm going to tuck my baobei and say good night."

Coulson smiled as he watched her go.

xx

May laid her hand on the lock that secured Daisy's bunk easily overriding the code. Only she and Coulson had that ability. She smiled at the soft light that shone from the small clock on the nightstand. Fitz had designed it then presented it to the girl not long after they'd taken up residence in the Playground. For as big and powerful as Daisy was she could not shake her fear of the dark and 'big brother' Fitz was quick to alleviate that fear discretely. The little item just looked like your average alarm clock but it gave off a soft blue glow that stilled her fears when she bolted out of a nightmare.

Daisy lay curled into a ball with a wad of blanket tucked under her chin. One bare foot stuck out where the blanket was pulled away. May shook her head. Some things just never changed. She pulled the blanket down covering Daisy's very cold foot then eased the same out of her hands and tucked it around her. She set the little dog in its place and smiled as Daisy immediately wrapped her arms around it, pulling it close. She breathed in deeply as she hugged it then opened her eyes and stared at it for a moment.

"Ling-a-ling," she whispered so softly it was nothing more than a lip motion then turned quickly when she felt the mattress dip. The girl sat up with a start and rapidly took in the entire room fearing that somehow she had once again slipped into Skye's reality, but there was her plain dresser and broken closet door, her dark green itchy blanket and her little blue clock. She was home and May, her May was sitting inches from her. Part of her ached to dive into one of Skye's massive bear hugs, but she denied herself, slowly laying back against the mattress but never letting go of that little dog.

May reached over and wrapped her fingers around a few of the stuffed dog's scruffy hair. "He was the first thing I ever for bought you." She sighed, speaking to the dog rather than Daisy. Her hand slipped from the dog to Daisy, brushing her hair away from her face. "It's a long story, for another time but I think it's time he finds his home, right there were he belongs." She nodded at the girl's embrace on the little animal.

Daisy stared back, unsure if this was May's way of saying goodbye. She'd had lots of goodbyes in her life, some where soft and heartfelt and other were just good riddance. She tried to slow her breathing, to relax, to be the adult May expected her to be, to accept what was and learn to live with it.

"I wanted…" May started, then looked down at the finger she was using to curl a strand of the girl's hair. She let it drop then folded her hands on her lap. "I was wrong, Daisy. I shouldn't have just walked away. I was so angry and afraid of what I'd do or say. I didn't want to hurt you and that's exactly what I did. You're not a bad kid, kid…I'm a…"

"No," Daisy begged. "No don't. You're a great mom, the best, the…"

May placed a finger over the girl's lips. "Shhh, it's time to sleep baobei. We have a lot to talk about in the morning."

Daisy breathed a sigh of relief at the term of endearment and let the warm honey feeling cover her. Melinda called Skye that all the time. The mere sound of it helped take away some of the anxiety.

May leaned forward placing a kiss on Daisy's forehead. "And you and I have some unfinished business to take care of…" she smiled at the girl's look of confusion that slowly turned to wide eyed understanding. "I think an hour or so of intense flank defense workout should just about do it, wouldn't you say?" May almost smiled at the girl as she tucked the blanket around her.

"Hour," Daisy swallowed, "or so?"

"You're right," May did smile as she looked toward the ceiling then back into her daughter's eyes. "Two hours seems more appropriate given the circumstances."

Daisy let out a fluttery breath. "What happened to 'I'm an adult'?" She inquired innocently.

May patted the blanket over the girl's tummy. "Oh, baobei this is definitely adult training and after tomorrow I'm sure you will wish you were a child. It would be so much easier."

Daisy grimaced. The thought of a few rounds with the Wakatta was exasperating, but the thought of May walking out of her life was worse. She could endure the bruises that wouldn't show for a couple days but the bruise on her heart would never heal. She smiled up at May for a second before wrapping her arms around her in a tight embrace that the woman returned without hesitation. They stayed that way for a few moments before Daisy laid back and pulled her little dog close.

Once again May smoothed out the blankets. "Now, sleep, wǒ měilì de nǚ'ér" She bent close and kissed the girl on both cheeks, then used one hand to brush over her eyes, softly urging them to close.

Daisy silently obeyed, rolling to her side and hugging her little dog tightly as May softly sang the lullaby that had put Skye to sleep since her birth.

xx

One floor down on the opposite end of the base, Fitz stood back and examined the formula he had scribbled on the piece of white board he'd salvaged from one of the labs. He snapped his fingers and smiled as he added a few more figures then snapped the cap on the marker and dropped it on the table as he rushed back to his keyboard. He typed rapidly then watched as circles of orange ones and zeros slowly joined the dance of their green counterparts on every screen. The new colored figures assumed the tornado shape of the old and spun around and beside the others.

Fitz stood back and smiled then pumped one fist into the air. He'd solved it…solved the mystery…had the answer. He glanced at his watch and grimaced at the time before turning to sigh at the sight of Jemma with her arms folded on the table top and her head resting on top of them. She snored lightly having fallen asleep at least an hour before. He stepped close to her, placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

Jemma's eyes fluttered open as she covered a small yawn and sat up straight. "I'm sorry Fitz, I must have dozed off." She apologized.

Fitz smiled and took her hand, bringing her to her feet. Again he kissed her lightly. "It's time we both got a bit of sleep then, isn't it?" He smiled as he walked her toward the door. He looked back over his shoulder and smiled at the figures that continued their concentric dance.

"Everything's running smoothly. Tomorrow we'll sort it all out. Tomorrow we'll put this all to rest." He flicked off the light and slid the door closed with a locking hand-swipe then wrapped an arm around the young woman who rested her head on his shoulder.

It had been a very long time, but Leopold Fitz was pretty sure they'd both sleep soundly tonight.

He'd reveal it all.

Tomorrow.


	58. If I Would Listen

**Chapter 58**

 **If I Would Listen**

Daisy leaned against the com room counter with one foot braced back against it. She sipped her favorite coffee concoction and watched as her parents shared their respective morning beverages at the table a few feet away. There was a bit of tension between them but nothing she had not seen before. Whatever it was she knew they would get past it very quickly.

Waiting all day or even all morning for May to order her to the small workout room downstairs was too exasperating so at a little before five a.m. Daisy set out in search of her mother, knowing she would already be up and into her daily routine. It wasn't hard to find May. She still managed to engage in Tai Chi every morning. Daisy smiled and watched for a few minutes before joining the exercise and matching May's movements precisely. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments when the routine was complete.

"Up early," May remarked around a swallow of water.

Daisy nodded, "looking for you."

May nodded without looking at the girl.

Daisy took a drink of her own water then rested the cool plastic bottle against her lap. She waited for May to say something, anything that might hint at her intentions but the woman simply stared ahead. Finally the girl could take no more.

"Can't we just do this…get it over with already?" Daisy almost pleaded.

May didn't respond, simply took another drink and drew a long breath.

Daisy let out a breath as well. "Come on, May. This is _torture_ …cruel and unusual…I think there's some kind of rule about that somewhere."

May let out a soft snort. "You? Concerned with rules?"

Daisy shrugged as her mother stood and took a few steps then turned back. "You sure you want to wear that?" She nodded at the girl.

Daisy stood and spread her arms then looked down at her clothing. It wasn't much different than any other workout gear she'd ever worn…black spandex leggings that stopped just below her knees, the same color halter and black sneakers. She shrugged again as May gave an evil smile and walked toward the door.

"Tack Room in three…" She held up three fingers over her head without turning back and disappeared into the dimly lit hallway.

Daisy almost smiled then realized she had little to celebrate. Sure she didn't have to suffer the anxiety of waiting but suffer now had a whole new meaning and she mentally kicked herself for asking for this first thing in the morning. Damn it wasn't even six and she was about to get her ass kicked…well, kicked wasn't quite the term but the alternative sent chills down her entire body. Again she looked at her clothing checking for rips or maybe a hole somewhere, but everything was just fine.

"Psych!" The girl shouted to no one. "She's just trying to psych me out." Daisy smiled. This time she was ready, prepared. May might get in a couple good whacks with that damn Wakatta but not like last time.

An hour later, Daisy had second thoughts. May was tricky with her mother's weapon and Daisy wondered if grandma gave her lessons in using the damn thing after she'd outgrown its purpose. Despite the girl's moves, including a full somersault and a few quick runs up the wall May found her target seventy five percent of the time.

Daisy breathed heavily but maintained eye contact with May who stood a few feet away. The older woman feigned a move to the right. Daisy moved in the opposite direction then jumped over the weapon as May swung it to the left. The girl smiled for a second before the paddle caught her off guard on the right and then the left before she had a chance to react.

"Damn it, May!" Daisy couldn't help it. She shook her right hand where the Wakatta had caught her finger tips then held up her hands in a 'T' form, indicating the need for a time out. "Geez, why don't you just have me bend over and grab my ankles?"

May stood the weapon on its edge and held it at her side. She glanced at the paddle shape on one end then looked at the girl. "Don't think I haven't considered it." She grinned. "But this," she nodded at the weapon, "at least gives you a fighting chance."

"Chance?" Daisy squeaked. "Like a snowball in hell…" She snarled. "I don't have a prayer. At least give me something to defend myself with." Her voice rose in a squeal.

May shook her head. "Sorry, kid that's not how it works."

Daisy bent over with her hands on her knees and took a few deep breaths making sure to keep her target facing away from May. She shook her head and smiled slightly. "What happens when I get so good at this you can't get a hit? Kinda pointless then, huh?" She stood and arched her back then resumed a defensive stance.

"Hmmm," May smiled back as she bounced the weapon in her hands and faced the young agent again. "I think the point is it doesn't get that far, but in the unlikely event that it does I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."

Daisy let out a soft snort. "I'd be surprised if you didn't. Yeow! Hey, I wasn't ready for that one!"

May raised her brow. "I taught you better." She turned away then spun back and swung, smiling as Daisy flipped over the weapon and landed lightly on her feet behind her mother. Before May turned the girl swept a leg across her mother's knocking her off balance for a second before she used the Wakatta for stability and remained on her feet. Daisy swiftly moved back to her feet and spider crawled up one wall then back to her feet on the floor a half second before May's pseudo-paddle met its target.

"Damn!" Daisy spat as she spun away only to leave herself open for a one-two strike. "Son of a…" another strike stopped her mid snarl.

May spun the weapon and again assumed the offense for a moment before relaxing and pulling the weapon across her midsection. "Enough?" She asked the girl who was comically bouncing on her toes and taking quick breaths through o-shaped lips.

"You're asking?" Daisy's brows shot up as she pointed to herself.

May cocked her head and turned up one side of her mouth in reply. Daisy shrugged and massaged her posterior before giving a quick nod.

"I think I've had enough." She smiled.

May swung the Wakatta making easy contact. "Think?" She smiled at Daisy's shocked expression.

"What the hell, May?" The girl's whine was cut short by another quick shot on the opposite side. "Hey!" She protested, once again dropping into a defensive pose.

"Sucks when you trust someone to keep their word and they hit you with just another sneaky swat, doesn't it?" She smirked as she landed three more hits that she was sure Daisy did nothing to deflect. "Oh, no kid, no guilty pleasure…" She feigned a swipe. "Defend yourself or this will be worse than you imagine." Again she feigned to the right then landed an easy swat to the left. Two more meaningful shots had Daisy back on guard.

"There…is…nothing…pleasant…in…this…" the girl breathed heavily as she side stepped the next few swipes, leaping over the last and landing lightly on her feet. "And…I don't…think this can…get any worse…" The last word came as a squeak as the Wakatta once again met its mark.

May stepped back, maintaining her position but allowing the girl a few minutes of reprieve. Daisy kept her eyes glued to her mother's, quickly wiping an errant tear. She couldn't imagine where it came from. She was close to exhaustion and probably wouldn't sit comfortably for the next few days but she certainly wasn't about to cry over grandma's cock-a-mamee idea of discipline. But the tears were coming faster than she could stop them. She pulled her arm across her face trying to make May believe she was brushing away the sweat on her brow. She bounced lightly from one foot to the other, waiting for her mother to make the next move. It came quickly and Daisy smiled as she easily leapt out of the path of the beast that meant to take another bite of her already throbbing backside. She spun away and knocked the next swat away with a roundhouse kick then scrubbed away the tears that were effectively blurring her vision. The next series of shots came like a drum roll and every one met its mark despite her twisting and flipping to avoid it. Ending with a tuck and roll tumble, Daisy landed flat on her back then rolled to her stomach and put up a hand.

"I surrender, May." She mumbled into the mat, not caring if her mother took advantage of her position. With that she also surrendered to her tears, sobbing deeply without turning around. Everything just poured out. It wasn't the Wakatta-ing or May's application of it. It was just everything. She let May down over and over. No amount of discipline would take away that guilt or the feeling that she'd never be good enough for the woman she idolized.

"Hey," May's voice came soft, close to her ear and she realized the woman had dropped to her side. She felt May's hand on her head, smoothing away her damp hair.

Daisy drew a shaky breath and pulled her arms together under her head. "I'm sorry, May. I don't even know why…" She sniffed deeply and wiped a hand under her nose. "This is so dumb." She laughed a weepy laugh.

May urged the girl to sit up and pulled her against her side. "We've all reached our limit." She agreed as Daisy nodded into her shoulder.

"Fitz needed me to fix that damn laptop," Daisy sighed. "I didn't even think about what you or Coulson would think. I'm just not used to anyone worrying about me or even giving a damn what I'm doing or not doing." She shrugged again and leaned into May who let out a frustrated breath as she crossed her legs in front of her and wrapped an arm around the girl.

"I guess that's understandable." May sighed.

Daisy let out a soft chuckle.

"Definitely not excusable," May added with a little squeeze. She felt the girl shake her head and smiled. "You've been here five years, kid. You have to know how much we all care about you." She leaned forward to meet Daisy's gaze. "Why the hell do you think we looked for you for more than six months?"

Daisy shrugged. "You shouldn't have." She mumbled.

May let out a snort and slapped her palms against her thighs. "Guess we have more work to do…" She started to push herself up but Daisy grabbed her wrist.

"No, no May, please…I…just meant…it wasn't worth any of you putting yourselves at risk. I was in a bad place. I hated myself and everyone else. I just wanted the pain to end."

May put one finger under Daisy's chin and brought her head up to look in her eyes. "We've all had terrible things to deal with, Daisy, but it's better to deal with them as a family…all of us together."

Daisy smiled a weak smile. "Isn't that a little bit of the pot calling the kettle black?"

May laughed lightly and shook her head. "Took me a long time to understand that, Daisy, a long painful time. I shut out everyone and everything, including the people that cared about me. I thought doing that kept them safe, but it only hurt them more and that included Coulson." She spoke quietly in a voice Daisy was unaccustomed to in the woman.

For a few moments they sat in silence. Daisy wasn't really sure what to say. May rarely opened up to anyone. She looked up with a quick sideways glance and caught the glimmer of a tear that slipped over her mother's cheek. It brought a feeling she didn't quite understand but immediately tears leaked from her eyes as well. She rested her head on May's shoulder and took the woman's hand in her own, expecting it to be quickly pulled away but May simply squeezed back before resting her hand between her daughter's. She drew a shaky breath.

"I don't know if that would have been any different if I'd had you all these years. I think about it and wonder what I would have done. What kind of mother would have been to you after Bahrain? It terrifies me to think I might have abandoned you because of it." May's voice was as shaky as her breath. It was quiet and laced with fear that chilled Daisy. Melinda May didn't do fear and the sound of it was terrifying.

Daisy squeezed May's hand tighter. "You wouldn't."

May smiled and tilted her head until it rested on top of Daisy's. "You don't know that."

"I do, because I wouldn't let you. I would have been there for you every minute. We would have gotten through it together, cuz I'm just as stubborn as you…mom." The girl closed her eyes in a silent prayer as she said the name.

Yes, she said it…meant it…for the first time. She'd wanted to for so very long. She wanted to let that word…no that name roll off her tongue and cover the one who truly deserved it. Twice…twice in her life she'd called someone 'mom'. The first time was Mrs. Brody. She just wanted to see how it felt but a week later she 'wasn't a good fit' and was on her way back to St. Agnes. Three years ago she tried it again with the woman who convinced her she was her mother…who tricked her into almost killing May.

Daisy closed her eyes and squeezed out the tears that memory always brought.

May brushed away her own tear. The word…the title…the name reached her ear, feathery and light but brought a warmth she'd waited for all of this girl's life. She wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her close, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I am so sorry, I wasn't there for you baobei." She breathed into Daisy's hair. The ache that truth left her was almost unbearable. Holding on to her child, her long lost baby was the only thing that still the trembling she held at bay.

Daisy shook her head as she wrapped her own arms around her mother and hugged back. "I think you were…" She breathed in a soft whisper against May's shoulder. " _You_ were the mother I imagined…the one I wished for and pretended was out there looking for me." She smiled, relishing the maternal embrace. "I was so scared of you at first, but at the same time I just wanted to be close to you. I used to lay in my bunk and think I was crazy. You never babied me or let me think everything I did was right or okay. You were always there to kick my ass when I needed it and put me in my place when I thought I was too good for you." The both snorted at the irony of the statement. "When you said you'd be my S.O., when you taught me the way you did…I…I would have done anything to make you proud of me. I…" Her tone and her gaze dropped. "I…I'm so s…"

May rested a finger on the girl's lips. "Don't apologize for that again, Daisy. It's in the past. You need to let it go." She laughed at the absurdity of her own statement, hearing Coulson's voice telling her the same thing so many years ago.

"We've been through hell together, all of us. It's time to just pick up the pieces and move on. We've got to get out of this place before it falls down around us and I think you're the best bet we have for that." She assured the girl.

Daisy let out a soft sigh. "I guess that means saying goodbye to Skye."

May shook her head and squeezed the girl again. "No, she's right here. She's part of you. She is you. I think you know that." May waited for a moment then looked down into Daisy's eyes. "Don't you?"

Daisy smiled into a reluctant nod. "I've been fighting it, but I think we're more the same than different." For a moment she said nothing. "But, I can't just leave…disappear without saying goodbye. I can't just leave her there wondering."

May nodded. "We'll come up with something. Fitz has some theory he wants to share, maybe it will help." She smiled at the girl then pulled herself up and put out a hand to Daisy.

The girl looked at the hand for a moment then took it and lifted herself to her feet, wincing at the ache in her backside. May smiled as she tucked her prized Wakatta back into its case and locked the clasps. She patted a hand on it before slipping it back into its place and turning to Daisy. "Let's hope we don't need this for a long time."

"Ha!" Daisy retorted. "Let's hope we _never_ see it again."

May smiled as she stepped next to the girl and walked toward the hallway. She placed a gentle pat on the girl's posterior causing Daisy to take a quick breath through her teeth. "That's entirely up to you, baobei."

Daisy rolled her eyes and let out a long breath.

"Coulson got some guy at the Bodega to smuggle him some blueberries. Bet he's working on your favorite for breakfast." May smiled as they reached the passage through the debris to the next floor. "First one out of the shower…" she left the rest unsaid as she dashed for the stairs leaving an open-mouthed Daisy behind.

xx

Daisy leaned against the com room counter with one foot braced back against it. It was a lot more comfortable than the old wooden chairs they'd salvaged to use at the table and using a pillow would just bring more attention to the 'situation'. May was right, Coulson had whipped up a batch of the best blueberry pancakes she tasted in forever even if she did enjoy them in uncomfortable silence. Volunteering to clean up got her on her feet and let her gage the situation between her parents as well. She stared at them now, watching them avoid eye contact. Ugh, she hated when they disagreed about anything and if that anything was her, well that was even worse. She took a deep breath pulled out the chair between them and lowered herself into it. Drawing a quick breath and tapping her finger against the side of her coffee mug she looked to each parent and smiled.

"I used to wonder what it would be like to have breakfast with my folks then rush out to get the bus while they waved to me from the porch." She shrugged then took a sip of her drink.

Coulson stared at her for a moment, watching as she sipped then swallowed then again tapped the mug and stared ahead. He smiled and shook his head. "That's the best you could come up with?"

Daisy tried to stifle a laugh but it gurgled out. She squirmed a bit in her chair and sniggered. "Too corny?"

May raised an eyebrow and shook her head before taking a sip of tea to hide her own smile.

Again the room grew quiet.

"I guess you guys had some kind of something about me and my stupidity and I'm really sorry. I don't want cause problems for you…us. I don't want to be a problem for us. I just don't know how this family stuff works and…" Daisy started, stumbling over what she was trying to say.

Coulson covered her hand with his own. "Hey, this is new for all of us…kind of…I mean I think we've been a family for some time now. It's not much different. I think even without all this DNA gobble dee gook we'd still be here side by side."

May smiled over the edge of her cup then set it back on the delicate saucer. "And it's not the first time Coulson and I have been at odds over one thing or another."

"Yeah, but now that other is me." Daisy sighed.

May couldn't help the small laugh as Coulson shook his head. "That other's been you quite a few times."

Daisy's brows shot up.

"Hey, don't look so surprised. You think we haven't argued over you in the past? We've thought of you as family for a while, Daisy. None of this is new." Coulson added.

Daisy shook her head and rubbed a hand against her hip. "Well, some of it is."

Coulson sniggered as May let out a soft breath. "Should have brought out momma's solution a long time ago." She smirked as she stood and filled her cup with hot tea.

Daisy gave a pout then turned and smiled at her mother. "Tell me about Ling-a-ling. How did he get here?"

May looked at Coulson, who smiled back. This was a story they needed to share as a family, a feel good moment in all of the craziness they'd been through lately. Daisy needed to know she'd been loved from the start and through all those years that little dog was May's life line to the child she'd thought she'd lost. Now the stuffed Shih Tzu was home, where it belonged, resting on Daisy's bunk…a piece of mom…a piece of daughter, together at last.

xx

Fitz paced back and forth, nervously mumbling to himself as he checked and rechecked the tumbling figures on his monitors. All of the green and orange figures marched on rhythmically against the black background looking more like a screensaver than the proof he had amassed to prove the theory he knew to be true. He hadn't been this nervous since the day he gave his first Doctorate's dissertation at the age of sixteen.

Jemma watched as the young man paced then stopped at the computer to assure himself he was sure of what he would say when the others arrived. She ached for him, but knew this was part of Fitz's way of preparing for what he was about to do. He'd spent hours explaining to her last night and she still was not sure she agreed with him. It seemed preposterous and she tried desperately to play the devil's advocate with him as he explained, but he would not be swayed from his belief that this is what they'd been doing all along. The young doctor could not help wondering if the recent trip to AIDA's Hell-works weren't affecting Fitz's mental state.

The brain does not heal. Jemma knew that. It forms new pathways and synopsis to correct itself but the injury remains. It isn't like skinning your knee or breaking an arm. Those injuries heal, scar over and grew new cells to replace those lost. The brain does not and Jemma feared that the injury Fitz had almost succumbed to at the bottom of the sea was now attacking the healthy parts of his brain. She was terrified that her love's life in the Framework had corrupted what time and patience had helped him to overcome.

She'd tried to convince him to wait…research a bit more before revealing his findings to Coulson and the others, but he insisted there was little time. Jemma knew he was right. The base was becoming more unstable every day and every one of them knew it was time they found a safer haven. Mack had checked the integrity of the foundation and found new cracks almost every day. Even the rumble of the subway almost a mile away was beginning to rattle the rafters. Davis and Piper had been moving what they could into the Zephyr but she knew all of Fitz's equipment would more than likely be sacrificed in lieu of safety. Of course he would find a way to save it and take it along, but the here and now of it would be lost.

"It's almost ten," Fitz's voice broke into her thoughts. "They should be here." He moved to the door before she had a chance to calm him, remind him the others were busy with things they needed to do as well as he had been doing. He turned back looking so much like a kid who's parents didn't show for his science fair celebration. She smiled at how young he still looked although both of them had matured quickly through the experiences they'd survived.

"I'm sure they're coming Fitz." She started as Mack and Elena walked through the door.

"Hope this is important, Turbo." Mack smiled as he pulled out a chair for Elena and lowered himself half sitting against a large table. "I've got a crevice about two feet wide on the lowest level."

"Exageras," Elena chuckled. "It was no more than six inches." She backhanded him across his large chest.

Jemma smiled at the way they could still joke with each other despite their current situation.

Coulson entered next with May a few steps behind. They nodded to the others as they made themselves comfortable. Daisy hurried in a few seconds later and leaned against the table next to Mack.

Looking around Coulson smiled. "Looks like we're all here, Fitz. What's so important?"

Fitz cleared his throat and flicked on the large screen that cast the same image as the small monitors on his computers. He smiled as it slowly lit up with the orange and green figures once again circling the black background. He stood back allowing all of them to see what he offered.

Everyone watched the little ones and zero's twirl in varying sized circles moving up and down the screen in a motion that might simulate the movement of a jellyfish. Although it was mesmerizing it was also clear that it meant very little to those who stared at the screen.

"Okay," Coulson spoke for everyone. "If I'm not mistaken all those little numbers used to be green and now some of them are orange?" He really wasn't sure if he was asking or telling.

"Numerals," Fitz corrected with a nod and a smile.

"You called us here to show us números anaranjados?" Elena knit her brow and asked quietly.

Fitz frowned, realizing they did not see the explanation as plainly as he hoped. He moved closer to the screen and tapped the area where a large swirl of orange moved like a small tornado. "Yes, yes," he tried to keep the excitement out of his voice. "There are orange digits here among the green. Orange representing those on the other side…Skye…Melinda…William…" He grabbed a long pointer and tapped different areas of the screen. "They are different and quite distinct from the original green." He turned and smiled at the blank looks on his friends' faces. Taking a breath he ran a hand through his hair and started again. "The green digits represent you…us…the people here on this side." Once again he tapped the screen. "May…Coulson…Daisy…and so on…" Again he turned back to a group that clearly did not follow his direction. The young man let out a puffy cheeked fluttery breath and propped his hands on his hips.

Daisy stepped closer and peered at the swirling numerals. "Is Skye alright?" She traced the little twister that Fitz had pointed out as the little girl with one finger.

"I'm sure she's fine." The man answered as he drove her back to a chair which she tactfully avoided.

"What all of this," he spread his hands wide encompassing the screen. "What all of this means is that all of you…all of us exist simultaneously, each leading their own life separate from the other."

"I think we understand that, Fitz." Coulson replied calmly. "You were very careful to create avatars that imitated us exactly."

Fitz nodded then shook his head. "No, no…there are no avatars. I created nothing that wasn't already there."

"Hold on," May stood already growling. "Are you saying this is some leftover bits and pieces of that bitch's…"

"No," Fitz held up a hand. "No, May, this has nothing to do with AIDA or the program that she virtually hijacked…" He paused for a moment, shaking off his part in the entire event. "No, that is gone, destroyed completely. It has no influence on what is happening here."

"Fitz, if I…" May scowled as her hands balled into tight fists.

Coulson stood and put a hand on her shoulder. "She…it…it's gone May." The woman slowly relaxed as he brought her back to her chair.

Jemma stepped next to Fitz and held her hands together before her. "What Fitz is trying to say is that the people we've all believed to be computer generated are in fact…"

"People," Fitz interjected with a broad smile. "That's how Skye got here. That's why she was totally human because she is totally human. They all are."

Again the others merely stared, this time in disbelief rather than confusion. Elena looked to Mack who frowned and shook his head. "Turbo…buddy, maybe you've been working too much. I know you haven't been getting much sleep and…"

"There's nothing wrong with me, Mack." Fitz shot back. "I am perfectly fine. The lot of you believed I created this world…this place where Daisy and May and Coulson could go to have the life they missed. I believe it too, but that isn't what happened." The young man's voice was becoming frantic.

"Fitz, buddy," Mack stood and took a step toward him. "Maybe you should sit down…"

"NO!" Fitz held out a shaky hand. "No," he repeated more calmly. "I didn't create this." He held a hand behind him motioning toward the screen. "I didn't create it because it was already there. All I did was create a doorway for you," he nodded toward Daisy and her parents, "to pass through."

Mack still stood, hopping to help calm his young friend. Jemma stepped in front of him. "You need to just listen. He's worked on this theory since Daisy's return. It does explain a lot although it is difficult to believe."

Mack laughed out loud. "Considering some of the insanity we've been through, what could be hard to believe." He reached out and squeezed Fitz's shoulder. "Okay, Turbo…we're listening."

Fitz smiled and gave a quick nod. He looked from face to face and saw only his friends waiting for him to explain what they truly did not understand. He drew a deep breath.

"At least fourteen billion years ago everything we know of existed as just one giant singularity, one line of all that was the cosmos." He spread his arms wide and ran his hands along an imaginary plane. "Then something happened and boom," Fitz bounced his fingers in a ball shape and blew it apart with an 'pushooo' sound. "That caused everything to expand and become what we know today as three dimensional. Eventually it all cooled off and light up and all the tiny bits of what was exploded formed larger bits that became planets and stars and galaxies, all the things we believe exist within our universe."

Everyone looked at each other, tried not to show their confused shrugs then turned back to Fitz and nodded.

"But," the man held up a finger. "But, what if we are not the only universe? What if, because the universe is curved like that of a clear bowl, what if that prevents us from seeing outside of where we live? What if that prevents us from seeing other universes existing right next to our own? What if following the theory of quantum mechanics these multiple universes form what some physicists refer to as 'daughter universes' where every decision we make can create a series of outcomes lived out by exact duplicates of us in those alternate universes?" Fitz posed his questions.

Again everyone looked to each other.

"Sounds a little science fictiony," Daisy laughed.

"Sounds like another day at the office," May snorted.

A nervous twitter ran through the room.

"It isn't something new." Fitz smiled as he continued. "Hugh Everett proposed the theory back in the early fifties. It's been studied for years and I think in trying to create another lifetime for you without replicating the first's mistakes I may have done more to punch a hole and create a pathway between these worlds than to create one of my own. Hence the ability for the child we believed was computer generated to be able to travel from one to the other just as easily as Daisy." He nodded toward the girl.

May shook her head. "We strapped on that head gear and drifted into that place. Our bodies stayed right here, Fitz."

"Yes, because we all believed we were working with a framework…computer program. Your subconscious went through the portal while your physical body remained. My theory is that since the alternate you was already there, your subconscious just slipped in along side. That's why you knew exactly who you were but were able to assume the role of the other you. For the time you were there you existed as both." He smiled at the explanation.

May shook her head again. "Don't give me that, Fitz. I was there." She paused for a moment remembering the time spent in Fitz's program. The more she thought the more she realized that yes she knew who she was but was able to exist as Melinda Coulson without a problem. Maybe Fitz had a point, but it all seemed like something out of a comic book or goofy television program.

Coulson spent a few moments in recollection himself. It seemed he was the same there as here. Nothing ever felt that much different, with the exception of the memories…the memories he never wanted to lose. The time with May and raising his little girl filled a part of him he never realized was empty. In another universe he was smart enough to make a decision that gave him the love of his life and his child.

"But Skye and I weren't one. We were separate and there was this place we…" Daisy began, confused and upset with this turnabout.

"I believe that both of you somehow were able to exist in the space between the worlds…the void that isn't really part of either." Fitz explained. "Skye could see you because you are a projection of her. Your conscious was visible to her even though you never melded together like Coulson and May." He continued.

"Yeah, but in that void place we could touch. I could feel her." Daisy almost argued.

"That's something I'd have to research intensely. I've no information on the void. It is new territory and not part of the original theory. It may exist simply because of the portal we've created." Fitz replied unable to provide an explanation. "There is still so much I don't have an explanation for and so much more to study."

"So what you're saying is that in this other universe we made different decisions that lead to our leading different lives." Coulson posed.

"It could have been just one simple decision, sir." Fitz agreed. "Every decision we make takes us in a certain direction. If that decision is changed so is the direction and all other situations that follow."

Jemma nodded. "We all saw how one small change affected our entire lives in the Framework. This is no different, only it isn't because of a change someone else made or because someone took someone or something from our lives. It's because of a decision your alternate self made in their universe. Everything we do involves us making a decision. If I had chosen to pursue a career in medicine rather than going to the Academy I never would have met Fitz. Who knows what a difference that would have made in all of our lives?"

"So you're saying that somewhere out there there are thousands of other universes where we exist as ourselves but have different lives because we've made different decisions." Mack stated to no one in particular.

"So it would seem." Jemma replied. "But, I don't think it would affect things we could not prevent like whether a person would live or die because of something we could not control. Those things are not within our power to control."

Mack nodded pensively as Elena squeezed his hand, both remembering the little girl that had been Hope. She'd been AIDA's creation and no more than a CGI. Mack's baby daughter had not lived long enough to leave a mark on this universe and nothing he had done lead to her death. He'd never forget the little girl he'd always think of as the personification of that child.

"So basically you're saying that our decisions, the things we do for whatever reason, definitely affect the outcomes." Coulson tried to clarify.

"And we are responsible for those outcomes…" May added.

Fitz paused for a moment, staring at the couple. "Well yes," he began, "and no. Any decision affects what happens after it is made but no one can be totally responsible for that chain of events."

"But our decisions set things in motion that would be different if we did things another way." Daisy's voice held a hint of the guilt she burdened herself with over everything that had happened through the years. "So when you tell me things aren't my fault, they really are." She let out a sigh and brushed the toe of her sneaker across the floor.

"I don't think that's what Fitz is saying." Coulson was quick to add.

"It isn't that simple." Fitz added at the same time. He looked to Coulson and recognized the look in his eye. Someone this had disintegrated into allowing Daisy to fall back into the guilt that had sent her away from all of them a year ago.

"It isn't like any of us can foresee what our decisions will wrought." Jemma explained, seeing her friend's distress. "Even when we weigh all of our options and make what we think is the best decision things can go terribly wrong. You have to remember that while you are making decisions the rest of the world is doing the same. There are millions of paths these decisions can follow. We have no way to predict the outcomes."

"That's right," Coulson put an arm around Daisy's shoulders. "In any world it wouldn't be your fault. There is too much none of us can control and even when we think we can we still end up at the mercy of fate."

"Unless there is a world where someone made the decision to let all of us see into the future," Elena mused.

"Even that would be a path to more terrible decisions or so much confusion you would not be able to make a decision." Jemma shook her head. "I cannot even imagine having all of those outcomes in my mind." She rubbed two fingers against her temple.

"So if you were to take down all of this…" May began, nodding toward the many screens and monitors against the far wall. "If all of this was gone, that world where we are raising Skye would still exist?"

Fitz nodded.

"But how did we skip around through their lives? Why aren't we in the same time? Shouldn't this parallel world be on the same schedule as this one?" Daisy shot one question after the other without waiting for answers.

"I am fairly certain that the portal I somehow developed is a bit unstable. I was able to control it through the program when I thought I was managing the time in the framework. I managed to keep it moving forward but it appears the door opened into some incidents of the past because I thought I was developing them. I've come to the conclusion that my programming simply found that time period and put you into it." Fitz smiled broadly. "This entire experiment is nothing more that some bizarre accident. I know for a fact there is a portal but I have still not completely worked out how or why."

"So she's not really me," Daisy sighed.

"Oh yes, yes, yes." Fitz nodded as he moved to his figures. "She is definitely you. Look here…same birthdate…same parents….same blood type…" he tapped the items he had circled on his broken white board.

May snorted. "Oh, baobei that little girl is definitely you…"

Daisy looked up at both and shook her head. "This could all be coincidence and you," she nodded at May. "You didn't know me when I was her age. How…"

May stepped closer to the young girl and took her hand. "Because I know how it feels, because right here," she placed Daisy's hand against her heart. "Right here I feel exactly the same way when I am with you as I do when I am with her. She brings me the same joy and pushes me to the same limits. She is my child and I love her just the same way I do you." She squeezed Daisy's hand and smiled through very watery eyes.

Daisy smiled back. "Damn, you have to put up with two of me." She laughed through a choked sob.

"So I love you twice as much," May repeated what she had told Skye when the little girl asked what she would do if there was two of her.

Coulson stood and moved to his family wrapping his arms around both. He kissed Daisy's forehead and squeezed May tightly, not daring to show any more affection than that in front of the others. For a moment they stayed that way, with the others smiling at their family moment until Daisy pushed away and looked at Fitz.

"We have to tell them." She said with more urgency than anyone anticipated. The girl looked from face to face. "We have to let the other us know what's going on, tell them all of this." She spread her arms wide.

No one responded.

"Come on," Daisy almost begged. "They deserve to know the truth."

"I…" Fitz started then stopped, unable to explain his disagreement or what it might lead to on the other side.

"I think that's enough for now." Coulson announced. "We've got some other work to do…all of us. It's time we planned on getting out of this death trap before it's too late."


	59. 59 Sounds Like You're Saying Hello

**Chapter 59**

 **It Sounds Like You're Saying Hello**

Fitz tapped his fingers on the desk top next to one of his many keyboards. The index finger of the opposite hand tapped against his temple as he stared at the images navigating the screen. He ran his theories over and over in his mind recalling the many ideas he'd had throughout his career…throughout his life. He'd had many…many excellent ideas and quite a few that lead to disaster. There was never a way to know how any of them might turn out, no matter how much planning was done. He could not be sure this would be any different.

The young man let out a long frustrated breath, rose and walked to the three gurneys that stood across the room. He looked to the biometers above each, now dark and quiet, wires hung limp from the connections on all three. For more weeks than he could count he'd trusted himself to watch as the people that mattered more to him that he let himself believe, allowed him to send their consciousnesses through what they thought was the cyberverse into his computer generated alternate reality. The truth was he punched a hole through dimensions and sent them into another universe. He still could not figure out how he'd managed to do it and yet there it was.

What he'd done in trying to avoid the same mistakes that were made with the Framework was open an avenue for these two universes to develop a pathway that ran from this almost dilapidated fortress to the living room of a suburban family. Fitz laughed under his breath at the irony of it. How many great discoveries were made by accident? He ran through a few in his mind and realized that despite this astronomical breakthrough no one would ever know what he'd done. It, like everything else S.H.I.E.L.D. did through the years would remain a secret. He laughed again.

There was no S.H.I.E.L.D. It no longer existed, except in the mind of one, Phillip J. Coulson. The young man shrugged his shoulders. Maybe it would rise again, like a Phoenix, from its own ashes…the ashes he ignited the fire to create. Fitz walked across the room and ran his hands through his hair. He could not shake the feeling of uncertainty that surrounded him and he wished, not for the first time, that he trusted himself as much as the others did.

He could not stop the steady stream of 'what ifs' that crowded his consciousness.

xx

Daisy stood in the remnants of what used to be Coulson's office, before the explosion, before Mace, before she abandoned her family for her own selfish reasons. She stared at the blackened wall that once displayed the multitude of screens keeping the director up to speed on all S.H.I.E.L.D. was doing at any particular time. Kicking aside the charred debris she lifted the heavy desk and set it on wobbly legs. It held on for a moment before those legs that had lost all integrity crumbled and the large piece of furniture creaked sideways and came apart as it slowly slipped back to the floor. Daisy could not help the sob that escaped. She pressed a hand to her mouth and turned to the window now clouded with soot. Only its Kevlar infused glass had kept it from shattering.

After everything that had happened including all of the bouncing through dimensions or computer programs or whatever the hell it was she'd been doing the past few months, Daisy hadn't really taken any time to let what happened to the only home she knew settle within her own mind. Sure her bunk held that telltale odor of old smoke but she'd gotten used to worse. Most of the time when she traveled around the base she kept her sight straight ahead and thought about nothing but where she was headed and what she needed to do when she got there. It was an old trick she'd taught herself a long time ago. Life was easier when you didn't let yourself remember the times…good or bad…that managed to get through your walls and touch your feelings. The old Daisy…Skye…Mary Sue would have run from all of this, escaped the dread it threatened to crush her with at any moment.

"Not much left, huh?"

Daisy drew a quick breath and brushed away her tears at the sound of Couslon's voice. She hadn't heard him approach but now felt the crunch of debris under his feet as he made his way toward her.

"Nothing worth salvaging anyway," he smiled as he put a hand on her shoulder, giving her time to gain her composure before he stepped next to her. "View's not what it used to be either," Coulson smirked as he looked at the black window before them.

Daisy laughed despite her melancholy. Coulson's humor was corny but something she loved about him. His hand slipped down her arm as he embraced her shoulders and she let her head drop on his shoulder. He rested his against the top of hers.

"I was just…" Daisy began, then realized she really didn't know what she was doing or why.

"There's really nothing here for us anymore." He nodded, still staring at the opaque window remembering the view beyond.

Daisy squeezed the tears from her eyes as Coulson squeezed her shoulders a bit tighter. Somehow he understood even though she'd said almost nothing.

"I was thinking about what Fitz said…." She started as she stood and took a breath. "About there being unlimited universes and all the choices that could have changed my…" she paused for a moment and looked at him sidelong. "Our lives…how our lives could be so different…"

Coulson shrugged his shoulders and smirked a little. "I suppose the possibilities are endless."

"There could be me out there somewhere that was raised by a crazy mother and deranged father. I could be the monster everyone thought I was…" Daisy sighed.

"Don't," Coulson took her shoulders and turned him toward her. "Don't go there…"

"But it's possible, Coulson…it's possible you and May and Cal and Jiaying made different choices." She drew a quick breath and pulled her hand to her lips. "Oh gawd, what if they killed you that night…what if…"

"Hey," Coulson stopped her as he pulled her to his chest and wrapped her in a bear hug. "Even it happened somewhere out there, it didn't happen here. Here we found you and we…"

"Really messed up…" her voice came muffled from within his embrace.

Coulson smiled and kissed the top of her head. "We messed up a lot of things, but we're still here and we're still together."

Daisy turned her head, resting against her father's chest. "I'm tired of this…"

"This?" Coulson's brows went up as he indicated his fatherly hug.

The girl laughed and shook her head. "I've waited all my life for this." She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. "But hiding and letting the world go to hell around us…we've done enough recuperating. We need to be us again. We need to be S.H.I.E.L.D."

Coulson smiled broadly. "Now, that's my girl." He pushed her out in front of him and pulled his hanky from his pocket holding it out to her.

She smiled at the offer, took it and wiped her eyes. "We can't go anywhere until I talk to Skye…let her know what's going on and…and that I didn't just run out on her." Daisy added as she handed back the handkerchief and started toward the door.

"That's important to you, isn't it? That she knows you didn't abandon her." Coulson replied as he followed.

Daisy stopped and turned toward him. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean you did…I mean I know you didn't…I…"

Coulson held up a hand and shook his head. "I understand, Daisy. I just know how much that kid means to you…to all of us." He took a breath and stepped next to her, looking into her eyes. "And I know you don't want her to feel you just walked away without so much as a goodbye."

Daisy laughed a small laugh. "I deserved that…"

Coulson looked confused for a moment then smiled as he motioned toward the door. "You know there could be a universe out there where May and I never met and well there is no you."

Daisy laughed as they moved into the corridor. "No way," she shook her head. "There is no universe where you and May aren't together. Some things just are…no universe can change it. Besides in what world would May not be your first choice."

"Guess that means there's no world without you…." Coulson chuckled.

"That is an entirely different choice…you could have…" Daisy smirked.

"Whoa there, kiddo…" Coulson blushed. "That is not a conversation I want to have with my daughter…in any universe."

Daisy laughed as they descended the spiral staircase and headed for the common room.

xx

Phil and Melinda left the FBI building with Skye wrapped in her father's warm coat. The car Phil had called from their agency arrived a few minutes later and transported the family home. Skye's bare feet barely hit the floor before she launched herself into her grandfather's arms.

"Yeye," the little girl squeaked as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry I scared you and thank you so much for taking care of Daisy."

He spoke softly to her in Mandarin for a few moments before the child turned and faced her grandmother. Skye paused for a moment, never quite sure how to approach the woman that mostly terrified her. Lian glared at her granddaughter for a second before opening her arms and letting a rare smile cross her face.

"Zhen Ju," the woman breathed as the little girl slowly at first then quickly wrapped her arms around her grandmother. "It is good to have you home, you were greatly missed."

"You saved me, Nai nai, you save me and Daisy. You're the bravest grandma I've ever had." Skye sniffled against her grandmother's middle.

The other adults could not help the snickers that escaped them not quite sure if was because of the child's comment or Lian's reaction to it.

Lian held Skye for a moment then looked down into her face. "I cannot express how much your gratitude means to me, granddaughter, but I would prefer you do not call me grandma." Even Skye giggled at Lian's sour expression.

"Okay, enough welcomes for now," Melinda smiled as she took Skye's hand and led her away from her grandparents. "I think someone needs a nice hot bath and some clothes that fit properly."

"And then some hot soup and a nice calm tea before bedtime." William added.

"Bed?" Skye squeaked. "It's not even supper time!"

"Hey," Phil started as he squatted down in front of the little girl. "You've been through a lot in the past couple days. How 'bout you don't give your mom a hard time and we'll all talk after you're warm and dressed?" He cocked his head a little and gave that smile she never could resist.

Skye let out a little breath and gave a tiny pout before wrapping her arms around Phil's neck. "Everything's okay, daddy…" she whispered in his ear. "You took good care of me in the future." The little girl backed up and smiled at him before landing a quick kiss on his cheek then taking her mother's hand and hurrying up the stairs.

xx

Skye laid back in tub of very warm bubbly water as Melinda moved in and out of the bathroom, smiling every time she looked at the little girl relaxing without care. Her baby had been gone for two days and yet she did not seem the least bit changed by the experience. She shook her head at the girl's resilience as she set a pair of warm pajamas on the closed toilet seat and knelt down next to the tub.

"Mommy?" Daisy opened one eye. "Why didn't you like Daisy? Why didn't you know who she was?" She opened the other eye and sat up waiting for Melinda to respond.

For a moment Melinda felt guilty and hoped the blush on her cheeks didn't show. Since she and Phil had found their little girl in the basement of the FBI they'd said nothing about Daisy and asked no questions about where Skye had been or how she'd gotten there. How did the child know about what happened when she was supposedly not there? Was there some way people of the future could watch those of the past? She thought quickly but moved slowly as she pulled the washcloth from beneath the water and sponged it on her little girl's back.

"I was scared, baobei. I thought you were gone and I was so afraid I wouldn't get you back." Melinda explained.

Skye thought for a moment, picking up bubble with one hand and letting them slide to the other before dropping back into the tub. "Didn't you know she was me, mommy? Didn't you see me?"

Now the sound of disappointment in the child's voice was heartbreaking. Skye trusted that her mother would always know her, always recognize her no matter what…this proved her wrong. Melinda felt like she'd failed the ultimate mother test.

"You know how much I love you, don't you Skye?" She asked instead of answering.

Skye nodded quickly. "But you didn't love Daisy, mommy. You didn't like her. You hurt her." She spoke slowly and quiet without facing her mother.

"I thought she hurt you," Melinda defended her actions. "I thought she took you away."

"Daisy would never hurt me, mommy." Skye shook her head. "She saved me lots of times."

"I know that now, baobei and I'm so sorry I didn't believe you." Melinda tried to apologize.

"Do you like her now, mommy?" The little girl looked at her mother for the first time. "Do you love her like you love me? It's important mommy, cuz I think I might do something bad when I'm Daisy and what if you don't love me anymore?" A tear ran over the little girl's cheek as she waited for an answer.

Melinda smiled and wiped away the tear with her thumb. "Baobei, I will always love you no matter what you do, but I don't think you…or Daisy…will do anything bad. I am so sorry I hurt you…Daisy but when I knew she was you I loved her just as much and I was so very proud of what a powerful woman you'd become."

"Mommy," Skye breathed as she knelt in the tub and wrapped her arms around her mother. "I love you so much."

Melinda stood taking her little girl out of the bath and quickly wrapping her in a large towel. She sat on the closed toilet seat after tossing the PJ's to the side and held her little girl as they sobbed together for a few minutes.

"Where Daisy lives," Skye broke the silence between them as she rested against her mother's chest. "Things are not like here, everything is broken and her mom…" she stopped and looked up at her own mother. "I think her mom really loves her a lot too, but she's kinda like Nai Nai. She doesn't say it or let it show." Before Melinda could respond she continued. "But she loved me, just like you do and she told me if I didn't stay out of trouble she'd turn my pigu purple."

"Hmmm," Melinda smiled as she rocked her little girl gently. "So you got in trouble there too?"

"Not on purpose," Skye shook her head. "I just tried on the bracelet and it wouldn't come off and then it made the computer stop and that's why I couldn't get home but when daddy fixed it and Fitz made the computer work everything started to shake and then I was back." The little girl spoke to her fingers then looked up at Melinda. "I threw up."

"I know, baobei." Melinda kissed her forehead.

"But I'm not sick," Skye added quickly, thinking her mom was checking for fever. "It was like when you go on the Tilt a Whirl and it spins you all around while you're going around."

"I remember." Melinda smiled recalling Skye's misadventure at a local carnival a few years ago.

"I was the same kind of sick but with no riding." The little girl nodded her head.

"How about you get dressed and we'll go talk with daddy and Ye Ye and Nai Nai? Then you and I are going to snuggle in your bed until we both fall asleep and tomorrow we will straighten all of this out, okay?" Melinda smiled as she brushed a damp strand of hair behind Skye's ear.

The little girl nodded and stood, reaching for her PJ's. "Mommy?" she asked as she dressed. "Do you think Daisy will be back, I mean so that you can see her and talk to her? Do you think I will get poofed to her…her place," Skye shrugged at the loss of a word to describe what she meant. "Do you think I'll have to got there when she's here?"

Melinda folded the towel over the shower rod to dry and pulled the plug in the tub to drain the water. She turned and smiled at her child as she walked across the room. "You are not going anywhere without me or your father for a very long time." She tapped the little girl's nose with the tip of her index finger.

"But…" Skye started.

Melinda placed her finger over Skye's lips. "Tomorrow," she reminded the little girl. "Tonight we just enjoy being back together.

Skye scrunched up her face for a moment before giving a nod and smiling as she took Melinda's hand and headed for the stairs.

xx

"You know I have to go back…" Daisy stated slowly as she placed a mug of steaming coffee in front of Coulson and sat down with her own cup.

"I know you think you have to…" Coulson remarked as he stared at his wobbly reflection in the dark liquid.

Daisy stirred the creamer into her coffee. "This can't be the end." She shook her head slowly, in rhythm with the spoon clinking against the sides of her mug.

Coulson pulled his lips into a thin line and shook his head minutely. "Do you really think it will benefit them to know what we know?"

The girl let out a soft snort. "I don't think they'll take it any worse than we did." She smiled weakly and sipped her coffee as she rested her elbows on the table.

"Haven't had enough yet?" Coulson smiled over the edge of his mug as he raised an eyebrow.

Daisy scrunched her eyebrows together in response.

"You hop through that hole one more time and May might have you doing those special workouts on a daily basis." He took a long sip of coffee then set down the cup and smiled at her.

"Not if I'm hopping right along side her." May's deep voice came from the doorway as she entered the room. At Daisy's surprised look she continued. "What? You thought I'd just let you do this again do you?" She raised her brows as she passed her daughter and Coulson at the table, grabbed the kettle and held it under the faucet.

Daisy spun in her chair watching May as she prepared her tea then turned back to Coulson who just smiled back as if he already knew.

"Fitz is going to send all of us through," he informed her. "We discussed it last night and felt it would be better if we did this as a…" he paused for a moment hesitating to use the term he really wanted to use. "As a team, together. We think it might be better coming from all of us."

"We?" Daisy repeated. "I don't remember any 'we'." Her voice took a harsh tone.

"Stand down, agent," May semi-commanded as she sat next to the girl. "You're too close to this. WE didn't go behind your back or make decisions for you, we just wanted to make sure this doesn't end up another catastrophe because your track record with this situation is not that great."

Daisy glared into her mother's eyes for a moment before taking small breaths and letting them go in small bursts. May stared back, a non-threatening-time-to-calm-down stare. After a few seconds Daisy looked away, unable to hold the stare they held on each other.

"We have no intention of stopping you, Daisy." May spoke softly. "But you aren't going without us. You are right, we do need to explain to that poor family what's been turning their lives upside down for the past few months."

"So what? We just appear in their living room and sort all this out?" Daisy barked a bit more than she intended. "They've never met you, have no idea you exist and," she snapped her fingers, "just like that, there ya have it?"

"No," Coulson replied calmly. "It would probably be better if you talk to Skye through that laptop set up before any of this takes place."

"She's ten years old, Coulson. She's not going to understand any of this." The girl rolled her eyes as she slapped her hands on the table.

"We aren't asking you to explain Fitz's theory, we just need you to let her know we are coming. You've already made contact with her parents, they trust you." He elaborated.

"Her parents are you, Coulson. You and May, they are you, totally you and what about Fitz's other theory about two exact things being together in one place and all that atomic explosion stuff?" There was a hint of worry in her voice.

"He is sure that doesn't apply to alternate universes, only something about time lines and computer programs." Coulson shrugged.

"What?" Daisy couldn't help scrunching up her face in exasperation.

"That's not exactly how he put it but it's more or less the same." The man sighed.

"We aren't just planning to burst in on them." May shook her head. "Now, you need to calm down and think this through. You know we're right. The question is, are you willing to try it our way, this time."

Daisy narrowed her eyes and pulled in her lips, she breathed loudly through her nose in an effort to control her anger.

May's face turned into a half smile. "Of course if you need to work out that anger we can go a few rounds in the Tack Room."

Daisy looked to her mother quickly, catching the unfamiliar look of jest before it disappeared under her snarl. She shook her head and laughed a small laugh. "No, I got this…"

"Anyway, kiddo, it's not like we didn't intend to include you in this decision but you were so exhausted I didn't have the heart to wake you." Coulson grinned as he covered her hand with his own.

At that Daisy finally laughed out loud. She wasn't really sure why. It wasn't funny, it was sweet. He…they cared enough to let her sleep knowing how upset she'd be about being left out of the decision and knowing she'd agree to it anyway. They let her be angry and worked through it with her. She drew a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

"Okay so where's this laptop I'm suppose to use?"

xx

Skye tried to keep her head up and eyes open through as she sipped Ye Ye's special tea. The soup was excellent, just like usual but the little girl found her jaw too tired to chew and despite protest she soon found herself resting on her head against her father's shoulder as carried her up the stairs.

"I'm too big, daddy." Skye mumbled around a yawn.

"Never, sweet pickle…" Phil smiled.

"Nod a pickle…" The little girl smiled around her fatigue. "It's too early for bed, daddy…" she protested as he laid her in her bed. "The sky's still blue." She sighed as she curled into a ball and tucked both hands under her cheek.

"Yep, sky's blue," Phil grinned as he placed the little stuffed dog Skye loved next to her and tucked the comforter under her chin. He leaned forward and kissed her temple, holding it for a few extra seconds before backing away.

Melinda smiled as she brushed her daughter's hair from her face and kissed her cheek before stepping back next to Phil and letting out a relieved sigh. "Never again, Phil," she started as she wound her arm through his. "I will never leave her out of my sight again…never."

Phil smiled and patted her arm. "We both know that's not possible, Mel. She's got to go to school and…"

"Private tutors," Melinda stopped him. "I'll hire the best and drag both of them with me no matter where I go."

Phil took his wife's hand in his own and gently kissed it. "You know she'd hate it…probably make your life a living hell." She could hear the chuckle in his voice.

"No more than the one I just survived." Melinda growled.

Phil smiled as he tugged her toward the door. Melinda dug in and shook her head. "I think I'll stay for a while and just watch her sleep." She slipped away from him and stood next to the bed.

Phil stepped behind her and rubbed his hands up and down her arms. He spoke over her shoulder, gently kissing her cheek as he did. "Haven't heard that since the night we brought her home for the first time."

"I wanted to be sure she was breathing…that I'd hear her if she whimpered just the tiniest bit…that she was safe and I could be right there for her. It's how I feel right now, Phil." Melinda's voice caught for just a second. "I don't know how what ever happened, happened, but it could not have been safe and dear sweet God what if…what if we lo…" She pulled her hand over her mouth and squeezed away the tears that threatened to fall. Melinda could not bring herself even to say the word…what if they lost their child. She thought of multitudes of tragedies that might have befallen her little one in the last few days.

Phil stepped next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Mel, Daisy was right there in front of us the whole time. We knew Skye was fine because…well, because she had to be in order for Daisy to be…"

Melinda let out an exasperated sigh. "Daisy," she groaned. "That's what our little girl will be someday." She shook her head. "I never pictured her an agent…ever. I intend to make a few changes in the life line of that one." She nodded toward her sleeping child.

"I think she might be twice as stubborn as her mom," Phil sniggered. "You might have a hard time pointing her in any direction she doesn't want to follow."

"Mommy?" Skye's groggy voice interrupted her parents' discussion. She propped herself on one elbow and squinted at her mother. "I still get to have my laptop, right?" The little girl rubbed one eye.

"Shh, shh, shh…" Melinda crooned as she hurried to set the little girl back on her pillow. "Sleep, baobei, sleep now." She whispered as she smoothed the child's hair and hushed her back into slumber.

"I need it, mommy…Daisy…" the rest was lost in sleepy mumble as Skye surrendered to sleep.

Melinda ran a hand through her little girl's hair as she spoke to Phil. "That damn computer, started this whole mess. I'd like to toss it in the driveway and repeatedly drive over it until it's part of the pavement."

Phil smiled and rubbed a hand across her back. "I think this whole thing started a long time before that computer became part of it and maybe tomorrow when we're all rested we can get some answers. We had our adult daughter here and our little one was in all likelihood, _there_. Somehow that thing lets them communicate across time or space or whatever. We'll talk to Skye."

"She's just a little girl, Phil. We can interrogate her." Melinda sighed as she continued petting her baby's head gently.

Phil smiled broadly. "She's a future agent and a damn good one. Think of it more as a debriefing. She'll be thrilled to share it with us and maybe, just maybe she can make contact and we'll get some real answers."

Melinda spun and stood, almost knocking Phil off balance. "No, no Phil," she started then lowered her voice and pushed him backward to the doorway. With a glance over her shoulder to be sure they hadn't disturbed their child's sleep, she continued. "Skye is not having anything to do with that damn cursed laptop. You," she poked a finger into his chest. "You get rid of that thing before she gets any ideas about using it or tying to make contact with anyone. I can't go through that again, Phil. None of us can."

Phil looked into his wife's eyes, seeing the latent fear there. It was something he rarely saw in her. "Okay, Mel, okay…" He shushed her as her pulled her to his chest and held her, feeling the tremble waft across her before she relaxed into his embrace. "Maybe we all need a good night's sleep, even if the sky is still blue." He felt Melinda's soft snort against his shoulder.

xx

In a stark white computer room, a young scientist tapped the keys on a simple laptop creating link that would connect his universe to a duplicate and allow communication between them. He watched as the cursor blinked red on the black screen then typed a line of code….then a second…a third…a page that lead to a new program opening. This program was less of a game and more of a messenger. He tapped another key that caused a slight ripple on the screen before his own image came into view in a small box with a black star scattered screen image behind. If he had accessed the correct specs on the other device there would be no problem viewing the conversation he hoped to have…or hoped Daisy to have.

Across time and space, through dimensions he had never believed existed a second computer booted on its own. A black screen opened with a small red cursor blinking in the upper left corner. Slowly, a line of dialogue ran across the screen and waited for a small girl to answer.

…Skye…please tell your parents it is safe for us to talk…this is a secure connection…


	60. Your Words Just Dont Reach Through

**Chapter 60**

 **Your Words Just Don't Reach Through**

Skye sat in the corner of the large sofa, arms wrapped around her knees, as she watched the snow fall outside. Another blizzard had closed the schools and it fell so heavily she could barely see to the edge of the front lawn. It really didn't matter that school was closed because they wouldn't allow her to go back. The little girl was not a big fan of school and didn't miss all the work and studying and keeping quiet but she did have friends. Going to school meant getting out of the house and she hadn't been allowed to go so much as on the porch without supervision since she'd gotten back from Daisy's place. She promised she wouldn't tell anyone. Hell, no one would believe her anyway. And yeah, she thought 'hell' because nobody could hear you think…except maybe Nainai.

But, Grandmother had gone back to wherever she went she wasn't here. Skye was pretty sure nobody knew where that was, including Yeye. He did everything he could to cheer her…played games, made her favorite meals and let her help make cookies. But, he also spent a lot of time in his room and visiting what he called old friends whose names she did not recognize.

Mommy was home every day, doing mommy stuff like laundry and dusting and sitting with her to watch silly game shows on television. Daddy was home most of the time too, doing work in his office or talking on the telephone in private. He went to the office for a few hours but he was home for supper every night and had breakfast with her every morning. Neither let her alone for very long periods of time and made her tell them if she had to go upstairs or even if she was going into the bathroom. She couldn't even bathe alone. Mommy sat in the bathroom the whole time, just chatting or pretending to fold towels or rearrange stuff in the medicine cabinet. It was starting to get embarrassing and it was definitely annoying.

The worst part of the whole thing was that she was not allowed to use her laptop. At first, Mommy said they just needed a break from it. She blamed it for causing all the trouble. Skye almost laughed. Computers were just things, like shoes or lamps. They couldn't do anything to cause anything. When she made that comment, Mommy just gave her a look and she stopped.

Daddy said they could compromise. The laptop stayed off and closed but it remained on the small desk in the alcove. Everybody had to trust everyone else. No one would hide it and no one would sneak to turn it on or use it. He said that way they all knew they could trust each other. Skye jumped at that but now it seemed like torture. She could see the laptop every day but could _not_ use it. Mommy let her touch it, run her hand across the top, but that was all. It was like being starving while sitting in front of a banquet you couldn't taste.

And it was making the little girl angrier and angrier.

So now she just stared at the snow and marveled at how it fell with such fury but at the same time was so soft and quiet. She did not feel soft or quiet.

"Penny for your thoughts," Melinda smiled as she sat at the opposite end of the couch after setting down two steaming cups of tea.

Skye blinked at her mother a few times and bit back what she really wanted to say. Mommy certainly would not like her thoughts and if she sold them for any amount of money it would mean big trouble. She wanted to tell Mommy just how angry she was and just how much she thought keeping her computer away was just mean and nasty and…and…stuff she just couldn't say. She was angry but not _crazy_ angry. Mommy and Daddy had let her get away with an awful lot those first two days, kinda like it was her birthday or like when she broke her arm and had ice cream for breakfast, but that didn't last. Yesterday she had to sit at the kitchen table for an hour after she talked back to Daddy about something she couldn't even remember.

"There's a lot of snow. Maybe Daddy won't be able to come home tonight." Skye commented in a sigh as she turned back and watched the storm.

Melinda sipped her tea. "Already on his way," she replied around a swallow. "He left before it started to get too heavy. He should be here in an hour or so.

"That's good," she mumbled.

"I brought you some tea. I thought we could play one of those games you enjoy." Melinda smiled.

Skye shook her head. "I don't feel like playing or drinking. I just want to watch the snow."

Melinda chuckled. "That doesn't sound like my Skye, just sitting and looking out the window."

Skye shrugged her shoulders. "There's nothing else to do. I'm just stuck here."

"Well, from the looks of it we might be snowed in for a bit." Melinda remarked as she turned and looked out the window.

"Can I help shovel the walks?" Skye asked without turning toward her mother. She already knew the answer.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea. The snow is very wet and heavy. I think it would be better if you stayed inside with me while Daddy uses the snow blower." Melinda answered quickly.

Skye let out a huff. Daddy never used the snow blower. They always shoveled the walks together then Mr. Granger would come with his little plow and do the driveway. She let her head drop back and exhaled an exaggerated sigh. "Are you ever gonna let me do _anything_ again?"

"You're just a little girl, Skye. You aren't strong enough…" Melinda started.

"I'm not little and I always help Daddy with the shoveling and you won't let me do anything since Daisy was here. And I miss her and you won't let me have my laptop so I can talk to her and I don't feel her anymore." Skye let her legs drop and pounded her fists against the sofa cushions.

"That's enough, Skye. I think you need to take a breath and calm yourself." Melinda warned softly.

Skye drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't wanna be calm! I want to talk to Daisy and I want my computer and I want you to stop making me do nothing!"

"You are coming dangerously close to a very uncomfortable situation, Skye. I think I am going to go to the kitchen for a while and let you calm down. The computer is _off limits_ until _I_ say so and if you continue this behavior that might be a  very long time." Melinda did her best to keep her temper as she stood.

"You're _never_ gonna let me use it again cuz you're afraid I'll go to Daisy's house again. _Nothing_ happened there. I _told_ you that. I _told_ you it was okay. I _told_ you." Now Skye was standing, her fists rolled into tight balls. " I _need_ my computer. I have to talk to Daisy and make sure she's okay. I _have_ to." Her voice squeaked with the tears she struggled to contain.

Melinda was at the breaking point. She promised herself she would be patient and calm with her child. She would not lose her temper, but Skye was making that very difficult. "You are very close to crossing the line, Skye."

"You _won't_ send me to my room cuz you _won't_ let me go _anywhere_ by myself and I'm _not_ sitting quiet in the kitchen again." This time she was shouting and before Melinda could respond she was up the stairs and in her room. She slammed the door, opened it and slammed it again.

Melinda took a deep breath and sipped her tea. Before dealing with Skye's outbreak of very bad attitude and poor judgment, she had to calm down. That might take a while. Phil was right, just a few days off. He laughed and told her things would be back to normal in a week. It only took four days.

xx

When Mommy didn't immediately follow her to her room she was surprised and relieved. When she hadn't appeared after fifteen minutes Skye was curious, but not enough to venture back down the stairs to find out why. She'd paced off her anger…well, paced and pounded and screamed and punched her pillow a few times before flopping down on the large beanbag beneath the window where she could once again watch the snow fall. She sat for a few minutes allowing her breath to slow and her calm to return. It lasted about five minutes before Mommy opened the door, stepped inside and closed the door with a soft click. She wasn't yelling and she didn't have her angry face, but Skye recognized the look she did wear. Things were going to get _really_ uncomfortable.

Skye lay on her bed crying into her pillow. As spankings go, it probably wasn't the worst but it was certainly the longest. She promised herself she would _not_ cry but that didn't really last and when it was over Mommy stood her in front of her and started to talk. She pulled her arm away and said she didn't care and didn't want to talk about it. It was definitely a dumb move that earned her a second trip over Mommy's knees and a double dose of attitude adjustment. This time Mommy said she understood that she did not want to talk and that was okay. She led her to the bed and gave her a tight hug then kissed the top of her head and told her no matter what she still loved her.

So now she lay on her bed crying into her pillow and feeling sorry for herself and her throbbing bottom and for how she treated her mother and not really understanding why she did or said anything she did. Between the crying and throbbing and the mangle of thoughts she did not feel the familiar tingle of her no-longer-imaginary friend appear at the foot of the bed.

"What'd ya do now, kid?" Daisy sniggered. "Leave you alone for a couple days and…"

"DAISY!" Skye launched herself from the bed to bear hugging Daisy in one fluid move. "You're here. You're okay."

"I am, but you don't look so good." Daisy laughed as she pushed the little girl out far enough to see her face. "Ah, ya didn't get all that slobber all over my leather jacket…" she teased.

Skye quickly wiped her face with the sleeve of her sweatshirt and stepped back. "I…I'm…"

"I'm kidding." Daisy laughed again and wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders. "So, are you gonna tell me."

Skye sniffled, shrugged her shoulders and offered a half smile. "Mommy won't let me use my computer…"

"Yeow, kid that is what started this whole mess. You gotta learn to be patient." Daisy tsked.

Now Skye laughed. "Like you?"

Daisy ignored the comment as she sat on the edge of Skye's bed. "That explains why you didn't answer."

"I knew it!" Skye squeaked as she scrubbed away the last of her tears with the palms of her hands and dropped down next to her, ignoring mommy's reminder. She smiled and sat for a moment staring at nothing. "Did _you_ get in trouble?" She asked, changing the subject for just a little bit. "I know you weren't 'sposed to come here cuz your mom was _really_ mad about it."

Daisy stared at the little girl's upturned face for a moment and chewed her bottom lip. She rubbed her hands across the tops of her thighs and turned her gaze to the floor.

"Come on, _did you_?" Skye shoulder bumped her older self.

Daisy shook her head. "May was pretty angry. I didn't think she'd talk to me again. I really thought she was going to leave…for good." She wasn't afraid to tell Skye what she'd thought.

Skye scrunched up one side of her face to the point her eye squinted. "You shouldn't call your mom May. She likes mommy, but you're big so mom is better."

"Noted," Daisy nodded with click of her tongue.

"And mommy would never leave us or not talk to us. She gets quiet sometimes but that's cuz she too mad to say anything. That's when ya know you're really gonna get it." Skye giggled the last of her statement. "So what happened? Did you? Did you really get it?"

Daisy felt the heat in her cheeks and that was so stupid. She let out a fluttery breath. "Yeah, kid I got it, really got it."

"Really?" Skye squeaked with a combination of amusement and disbelief. "But you're all grown up and your mom said if _I_ didn't behave she would bǎ wǒ de pìgu biàn chéng zǐsè!"

"May…er…mom always keeps her word." Daisy sighed.

"Damn!" Skye slapped a hand on her own thigh. "Is it really _PURPLE_?" She leaned back and peeked behind her big self. "Can I see?"

"No. Weirdo!" Daisy snorted as she pushed the little girl gently over on the bed. "Is yours?"

Skye bounced up, stood and yanked down the side of her sweat pants, turning her head to see for herself. "I dunno. Is it?"

"Gross," Daisy laughed, turning her head and squeezing her eyes closed. "You are a weird little kid."

Skye shrugged as she let the waist band snap back into place. "Well I can't see my own pigu and if I'm weird then you are too." She poked a finger at Daisy who easily deflected it.

"This whole conversation has gotten really weird." Daisy poked back, allowing her younger self to deflect as well. "And you shouldn't say 'damn' or 'ass' in any language." This time the poke landed in Skye's belly and the girl tumbled back with it.

Daisy took advantage and tickled the little girl mercilessly until she begged for relief.

"Promise to watch your language?" Daisy taunted as she ran her fingers along the little girl's ribcage.

"I promise…." Skye squealed as she tossed back and forth in an effort to escape. "I pro…ah…ah…ah…miss." She gasped.

"Cross your heart?" Daisy teased.

"Cross my everything…" Skye squealed as she rolled to her stomach and pulled herself into a tight ball.

Daisy couldn't resist. She landed a smart smack on the girl's backside. "That's in case you forget." She laughed as she stood back and folded her arms over her chest.

"Hey!" Skye growled at the same time, pulling herself up from the bed to stand before Daisy. "That wasn't fair." She rubbed both hands up and down on her posterior.

Daisy shrugged then let out a soft sigh. "Ah, comere…" She opened her arms and Skye rushed into them wrapped her arms around her big self's middle and faux sobbed into her stomach. "I'm sorry, kid. That wasn't very nice." Daisy tried to make amends. "HEY!" She pushed the little girl back and rubbed her own backside after the little scamp smacked both hands on either side of her still tender tush."

Skye laughed and poked out a finger. "Ha! Now we're even." She winked one eye and clicked her tongue just like Daisy had done.

For a moment Daisy snarled at the girl. Skye lost her bravado and bit her bottom lip. The last thing she wanted was Daisy to be mad at her. She opened her mouth to speak but Daisy's growl turned into a smile.

"Touché, kid, touché." She grinned as she gave a thumb's up.

Skye sat back down on the bed and kicked her feet back and forth. "Did your mom really spank you? Like drop your drawers and smack your bare butt over her knee?" Even Skye thought that was kinda stupid. Daisy was all grown up. Grown ups don't get spanked by their moms for misbehaving.

"Geez, kid, no…of course not. That's just…no…" Daisy shook her head. She couldn't even imagine that Wakatta thing landing on her totally unprotected backside. She was sure it would more than likely remove a patch of skin, especially the way May wielded it.

"But…" Skye started.

"It's…complicated." Daisy shook her head as she sat next to the little girl. "May's got this…this work out routine and this big paddle looking thing and well if you don't move just right…SMACK…" She turned up one side of her face and shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't learned all the right moves yet." Daisy almost laughed at the irony of that statement. If she learned to follow orders and stop taking stupid risks, she'd avoid any and all work outs with the dreaded Wakatta.

"She has a paddle?" Skye whispered with wide eyes. If Daisy's mom had a paddle that meant that one of these days her mommy would have one too.

"Well, no…it's not a paddle…not really…" Daisy fell over the words, knowing she'd said too much. "It's more like a…it's a…a training device…" Skye's eyes went wider. "No…no…it's something her mother gave her…"

"Nainai?" Skye breathed.

Daisy shook her head. "It's something you don't have to worry about kid because your mom won't ever need it or use it. By the time you're all grown up you'll already know all the right moves."

Skye thought for a moment then looked at the floor and back up. "But you said you didn't know them."

"I didn't have a mom to whack my ass when I stepped over the line or gave too much attitude when I was little like you. I don't know the right moves cuz I didn't have May to teach me then so she…she uses this …this training work out thing to teach me now." Daisy explained realizing how lame the whole thing sounded.

Skye shook her head and took Daisy's hand in her own. "That's just dumb, Daisy. I'm you and you're me. And I'm gonna be you when I grow up. I've got mommy all the time and I saw her when I went to your place. It's all crummy there but your mom is still there and she still loves you…and me."

Daisy let out a soft sigh and wrapped Skye's hand in both of hers. "You're right, kid. We are the same person." Skye smiled softly. "We just aren't the same kind of same." Skye's face contorted into confusion. "It's a long story and kinda complicated." Daisy continued, squeezing the little girl's hand gently. "It's why we tried to talk to you. We _need_ to talk."

"Uh oh," Skye sighed. "That's what mommy usually says when I'm in trouble. Is it about the bracelet?" She didn't wait for an answer. "I gave it back. I didn't mean to take it but when I tried it on I couldn't get it off and I didn't know it would break the computer and…"

"No, no, no," Daisy attempted to shush the girl. "No one's in trouble." She laughed a short laugh. "At least not this time," then reconsidered, "at least I don't think so."

"But…" Skye protested as she bounced to the edge of the bed.

Daisy pulled her back. "We have to talk to your mom and dad."

The little girl shook her head. "Mommy's really mad. I have to stay here. I am not getting' three spankings in one day…no way." She shook her head rapidly. "I don't even know if Daddy's home." She nodded toward the window.

Daisy let out a frustrated flutter. "Damn, is that all it does here is snow?" It was really a thought but tumbled out on a breath.

Skye shrugged. "It's winter. It's 'sposed to snow."

"Yeah," Daisy agreed. It was the end of summer at home so, of course, no snow. But she couldn't remember ever having so much of the white stuff. She wondered if even Mother Nature, or whoever the hell controlled the weather, made choices too. "Does it always snow like this?" Maybe the global warming climate change thing was worse here. Maybe it was already too late?! Daisy tried to swallow her panic.

Skye had risen and walked to the window. "There's always lots of snow, every winter. When I was in kindergarten it was over my head." She raised her hand flat above her head and stood on her tip toes. "We didn't have school for two whole weeks last year cuz we got three storms in a row." She marveled then sighed. "But we had to go to school til almost all of June."

"Okay…yeah," Daisy felt the tension drain…no climal warning or whatever the hell it was. "But, Skye, _we_ need to talk to your parents…me and _you_ , together."

Skye was shaking her head as she walked toward her big self. " _You_ talk to mommy. _I'm_ staying right here." She pointed toward the floor and shook her head.

Daisy let out a frustrated growl and threw herself back on the bed. Letting out a long defeated breath she dropped her arm over her eyes and drummed her fingers on her belt buckle. Damn, this kid was stubborn…just as stubborn as she was…maybe more… Was it possible to be more stubborn than yourself? Damn, double damn! Every time she spent any amount of time with this kid her mind started to twist with crazy impossibilities. She let out a squeal and kicked her feet rapidly against the side of the bed.

"Are you having a tantrum?" Skye asked as she stood and stared at Daisy. "You're kinda big for that."

Daisy let out another breath, raised both her arms and legs and let them drop down and against the bed. "Yep, that I am, but sometimes it just really helps otherwise things could get really ugly." She recalled not having a handle on her powers and how she'd shaken the whole base. Her powers somehow didn't work here and for that she was grateful. She pushed herself up and wrapped her fingers around the edge of the bed.

"Skye, this is really important."

But the little girl was already shaking her head. She wrapped her arms around herself and dropped into the large rocking chair that faced the bed.

"I know, I know…" Daisy held up a hand. "You're not leaving the room, so how about we get your mom and dad to come here. That way you're not in trouble and we can still talk. She wanted to talk to you right? She said when you were ready, so just call to her and tell her you are."

Skye narrowed her eyes. "Just how long were you here before I knew it?" She widened her eyes and slapped her hands on the arms of the chair, pulling forward just a smidge. "Did you see? Were you watching?"

Daisy quickly put up a hand. "Heard, kid, just heard…I turned around and closed my eyes as soon I knew what was happening. Had to hold back til your mom was gone anyway."

"But if you wanted to talk to her why didn't…" Skye threw her hands in the air. Sometimes big people just didn't make sense.

Dropping her chin to her chest, Daisy glared at the child over her brows. "Come on, Skye. Really? I didn't think you were in any position to chat." Yeah, it was sarcastic, but necessary.

Skye scrunched up her face and fell against the back of the chair. "Right," she agreed. When you're staring at the carpet with your eyes closed, getting your bare butt toasted, you really didn't feel like having a normal conversation.

"Are you gonna tell them something bad? Is it about my computer, cuz if it is I'll never get to have it." Now the little girl was definitely pouting. "Why do I hafta be there anyway? I don't even know what you're gonna talk about."

"You have to be there so they'll talk to me and then we'll _have_ to use your computer. It's the only way I can let Fitz know everything's alright." She glanced at the small clock on Skye's nightstand…thirty-five minutes…

May had told her one hour…just one hour when she agreed to let her make the jump on her own. If she didn't send word in one hour that she'd cleared the way… Well, she didn't really need to finish. Daisy knew that meant Momma May would be making an appearance, announced or not. She had twenty-five minutes to get Skye to cooperate, explain her appearance without sending Melinda into a frenzy, try to make them understand the impossible and introduce her parents to 'her parents?'.

"If they don't see both of us," Daisy continued as she let out another breath. "They won't listen because they'll think we switched places again." She thought about her next comment for just a second. "I might end up getting another pop in the nose."

"Mommy knows who you are now. She won't hit you again." Skye shook her head.

"Look, kid, if you don't call your mom up here. _I'm_ going to do it and believe me she'll be running if she hears _my_ voice." Daisy stood and crossed her arms over her chest. "Then _you_ can explain why you wouldn't do it."

Skye stood and glared at Daisy. "That's not fair! You're just doing that cuz you're acting all bigger than me."

Daisy spread her arms and scrunched up one side of her nose and mouth in a 'yeah, really' face. "I _am_ bigger than you." She sneered.

"Well, ya don't have to act all bossy about it." Skye sniped as she stepped toward her older self.

"Why not?" Daisy snapped back. "You're acting all little kid scaredy-cat about it."

"I'm not scared!" Skye yelled as she stomped her foot and clenched her fists.

This might just work Daisy thought as she egged the little girl on. "Then call your mom." She cocked her head toward the door.

"I don't want to."

"Cuz you're afraid…"

"I AM NOT!" Skye shouted and stomped again. "I JUST DON'T WANT …"

"What is going on in here?" Melinda demanded as she threw open the door and stepped inside.

"Mommy?" Skye squeaked, throwing both hands over her bottom and taking a few steps back.

"Daisy!" Melinda gasped, not even noticing her little daughter's reaction.

Daisy waggled her fingers in greeting and smiled weakly.

xx

Melinda set a cup of tea on the kitchen table in front of Daisy. Skye scowled at both of them from her seat on the opposite side. "You can still use that thing?" Melinda glanced at the still closed laptop on the small table in the alcove.

Daisy looked in the same direction as she ran a finger around the edge of the teacup. It was a silly habit and she did it without even realizing. "That's why I had to come. When Skye didn't answer it was the only way to get to you."

"See," Skye plopped her arms over her chest and dropped back against the chair. "I _told_ you it was important. I _told_ you I needed it."

"Skye," Melinda warned.

"If you let me use it, Daisy could just talk to me and tell me what she needed and you…" The little girl continued. Daisy shook her head and tried to hide her smirk.

"Skye!" Melinda barked. "I've had more than my fill of your attitude today. Haven't you had enough of my adjustment? Because if you say one more word," she held up one finger. "Just one, I will have no problem giving you another dose right here, right now."

Skye let out a breath and looked at Daisy who shook her head. She remembered what Daisy said about always doing just what she said she'd do. Before she had a chance to do anything, the back door opened and Phil came in shaking snow off his jacket and stomping his feet on the large rug in front of it.

"Whew, what a ride," he remarked. "Left my car in the diner parking lot and walked the last ten blocks, roads are closed everywhere…" He stopped as he stood straight and stared into the eyes of his grown up daughter.

"Daddy!" Skye squealed as she raced across the kitchen to greet him.

Phil shucked off his snow covered coat and caught the little girl up in a hug before she could soak her stocking feet in the mess he'd carried him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek before dropping her head to his shoulder. Phil looked over her shoulder, silently asking what was going on and why was Daisy sitting in their kitchen. He shook off his boots and took a giant step over the gobs of snow still holding Skye close. Once on dry ground he set his daughter on the floor.

"Daisy needs to talk to you, Daddy." She smiled at him. "Cuz she couldn't use the computer, cuz it's off limits."

Melinda let out a frustrated breath and pointed to the hallway. "To you room Skye, right now."

"Why?" the little girl groaned. "I didn't say anything wrong."

"Now, Skye," Melinda repeated.

Skye stomped across the kitchen floor, mumbling under her breath. Daisy recalled doing the same thing on many occasions. It never turned out well. Absently, she raised a hand to her right ear. He'd hit her so hard it rang for days. She was sure she was deaf, but slowly the sound came back but she was at St. Agnes' by that time. Skye would never know that kind of attitude altercation.

Melinda watched until Skye reached the base of the stairs. "And do not slam that door, young lady."

Skye let out a breath and walked up the stairs. She closed her bedroom door with a soft click.

Daisy looked up at the woman who was so much her May that it almost made her want to bolt for the bedroom as well. "You're not going to spa.."

"I'd say that's between my daughter and me, but it would be pointless in this situation giving that you are my daughter…my same daughter." Melinda sighed. "Just tell me it gets better."

"Guess I missed a lot," Phil quipped as he moved to the counter and began making a fresh pot of coffee.

"The storm has brought out the beast in our child…she's practically inhuman today." Melinda shook her head.

Daisy smiled at the term and did the same. If they only knew.

"Okay," Melinda turned back to the young woman at the table only to see her daughter's eyes staring back. "We're both here, what do we need to know?"

Daisy took a deep breath. "There's a lot you need to know but it starts with all of us together."

Phil twirled his finger around the table. "Looks like quorum to me."

"We are not involving Skye in whatever this is." Melinda warned.

"She's already a part of it." Daisy sighed. "And no, we aren't all here…yet."

"Nobody's getting here in this," Phil laughed as he poured coffee into a large mug.

Daisy shook her head. "They won't need a car and the snow won't stop my parents." She looked up at the clock. She had five minutes before 'poof'.

"Your parents?" Phil was intrigued. "Us?"

"Not exactly," Daisy shrugged. "I mean _my_ parents, my parents that are older you."

"From the future?" Phil coughed at the pitch of his voice. "Isn't there some kind of law about that, some physics thing." He thought for a moment. "But you…you and Skye…you were…"

"Yeah there is some kind of thing about explosions and two beings existing at the same time in the same time period or something like that. Fitz explains it a lot better. But they aren't exactly from the future."

Before Phil could ask for an explanation the air shimmered and a soft buzz filled the room. A gentle vibration shook the floor just enough to make the cups on the table jiggle. Daisy looked at her hands but felt none of the familiar sensation of her earth moving power. A moment later Coulson and May just appeared in the kitchen as if they'd been there all the time.

"Cool," the young woman remarked. "Nice to know I've been making smooth entrances."


	61. 61 And the Walls Came Tumbling Down

**Chapter 61**

 **And The Walls Come Tumbling Down**

Daisy couldn't help the silly giggle as she watched both sets of her parents stare in wide eyed astonishment at each other. They all seemed frozen…paralyzed by the sight of their alternated aged selves. She had to admit it was a weird feeling, seeing your self so much younger. Hell, her alternate self was ten! She wondered what would happen if she poked one of them, then quickly reconsidered. Nope, just watching this odd interaction was enough.

The sound of Phil's coffee cup smashing on the tile floor brought everyone back into focus. Daisy jumped back a step to avoid being hit with the splash of hot liquid. Melinda reached for the nearest dish cloth and Phil just stared at it for a second before bending to pick up the pieces. Coulson stooped to help, coming nose to nose with his younger self while Melinda and May exchanged the same one-eye-brow-raised look of skepticism.

The men rose together as if they were mirror images and broke into the same smile at the same second, proclaiming, "Amazing…" in the same hushed mesmerized tone.

"Holy shit!" Skye's high pitched voice squeaked from the kitchen doorway.

"Skye!" Two mothers admonished simultaneously, both glaring at the small girl.

"Damn!" Daisy sputtered.

"Daisy!" May and Melinda spoke again, turning their piercing glares directly at her.

Skye slapped both hands over her mouth. Her eyes widened as she looked to Daisy and then back at the two sets of parents around the kitchen table.

Daisy twittered nervously. "You guys aren't going to do that all the time are you?" She twirled her finger in a small circle. "Say the same thing at the same time, cuz listening to you in stereo might get a little weird." She scrunched up one side of her mouth causing Skye to splurt out a laugh through her fingers still plastered over her mouth.

"I thought I sent you to your room." Melinda snarled at her daughter.

Skye shrugged her shoulders and moved closer to Daisy. Truth was she never went to her room, exactly. She just closed the door and tip toed back to sit at the top of the stairs. Usually her mother would have heard and made it a point to help her find her way back, but she was so busy with Daisy that Skye just took advantage. Beside, she wanted to know what was going on and just what Daisy had to tell her parents that was so important. Never, ever did she suspect that Daisy's parents would show up in her very own kitchen.

"Sit!" Melinda ordered, pulling out the nearest chair.

"But…" Skye started to protest.

" _Don't push your luck kid_ ," Daisy mumbled out of the side of her mouth. " _You do not want a double dose of Melinda May._ "

" _Mom_ ," Skye reminded her with the same sideways mumbled as she nodded toward her mother and headed for the chair.

"I said one hour," May growled at her protégé and waited for an explanation.

Daisy's jaw dropped in disbelief. "What the hell, May? It's not like I can control the situation."

May pulled out the chair nearest to her and slammed in down on the floor. "Sit," she commanded through clenched teeth.

Daisy rolled her eyes, but dropped into the chair and folded her arms over her chest. Skye glanced at her big self for a moment before mirroring the same position.

"I guess some things never change." Melinda quipped, refusing to let the smile tickling the edges of her mouth to take over.

"Apparently not," May agreed, furrowing her brow in frustration.

"This is ridiculous!" Daisy suddenly exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air and dropping her palms against the table. "I'm not a ten year old."

May placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and gave a serious squeeze. "Then stop acting like one." She warned.

The girl let out a snort and resumed her arms folded over chest position, sulking down in the chair just a bit.

 _"Do you want a double dose of mom?"_ Skye whispered without turning to look at her older self.

Daisy narrowed her eyes and turned to snark a reply then realized the girl had not truly spoken. Her lips hadn't moved in the least, so unless the kid was some kind of ventriloquist…

 _"Did you just think to me?!"_ Daisy's snarl turned immediately to wide eyed amazement. _"It still works?"_

Skye gave a quick nod, disguised as a nod. Both girls looked quickly at the quartet of parents facing each other. Not one gave any indication that they had heard or sensed or whatever you did to know what someone was thinking. All four were still kind of sizing each other up, given the situation.

"You're from the future?" Phil breathed, still totally flabbergasted by his alter-ego's appearance.

"Not exactly," Coulson grinned, "but that's going to take a bit of explaining."

"Great," Melinda rolled her eyes in true May fashion, giving Daisy another opportunity to release a giggly snort cut short by a glare from the May-mother. "A not exact future," Melinda continued. "Just what we need."

Coulson smiled as he turned toward her. A remembered feeling from so long ago tingled over him as he looked into the eyes of a much younger Melinda. He recalled the sensations he had hidden for so long, how he pretended to be antagonized by the woman he already cherished. He missed that laughter and all the teasing and wondered if she… No, that is not why we're here, he reminded him self.

"It really isn't my field of expertise but I'm pretty sure no future is exact." He nodded toward the chair he had eased from the table, silently asking permission to sit.

"Double talk," Melinda gruffed as she nodded.

"I think we all need to sit," Coulson suggested as he pulled the chair from the table and sat next to Daisy. "There's a lot we need to discuss."

"Guess we'll need more coffee," Phil sighed as he moved toward the counter. "And tea," he added at Melinda's look.

May stood behind Coulson, feet apart and arms straight at her sides, ever on guard, ever the watchful champion. Daisy smiled to herself, looking from the older and wiser May to the younger Melinda. There wasn't much change. Sure the hair style was different and May's black spandex complete with leather jacket was in stark contrast to Melinda's gray sweats and oversized t-shirt emblazed with two cuddling pandas. The younger woman's face didn't show the lines of concern or experience that framed May's countenance. Daisy wondered if Bahrain existed in this alternate universe and if it did how long it would be before that tragedy changed the woman forever. She quickly calculated the years since May's fall into that oblivion then added them to Skye's age and made a mental note to tell the girl never to let her mother leave her side that year. It wouldn't be the same as changing the future because this place didn't have that future yet, but things were different here and maybe it just didn't exist at all here. Daisy put a hand to her head and rubbed her temple. Thinking here always twisted her brain.

"I'd like some coffee," Skye chirped.

"You would be much happier in your room, young lady." Melinda advised as she pulled the girl's chair from the table.

Skye's mouth dropped open. Daisy's did almost the same when Phil and Coulson protested at the same time.

"Just a minute," both men stopped Melinda before she helped the little girl from her seat. They looked at each other as if they knew what either would say next. Phil made a slight movement with his eyes before Coulson continued.

"This concerns Skye, too. I think it would be better if she stayed and heard it first hand." He gave his usual look of asking and telling at the same time.

Skye had a death grip on the table's edge that she released slowly when her mother sighed and eased the chair back closer to the table. She let out a soft sigh of relief and smiled at Coulson. Daisy did not miss the exchange between them and felt a swift pang of jealousy at their relationship. She gently kicked her little self's ankle.

 _"Knock off the puppy dog eyes, kid. You already got a reprieve."_ She thought to the child.

The look Skye returned said 'nyah-nyah' without saying or thinking it. Daisy rolled her eyes. This kid could turn Coulson into a complete ball of mush. She couldn't help the feeling of loss or envy or whatever the hell it was and she was glad she held the seat between them. There he was looking all gruff and manly with his stubbly unshaven face and thinning hair that almost exposed his scalp. She hadn't really noticed before how much he had changed since the first day he pulled her from that van, all starched and black suit. When she looked back she couldn't remember a time she hadn't seen him wearing a tie. She almost laughed thinking about how she was convinced he slept in the damn thing…until she pulled him out of that horrid machine Raina had tortured him with. She'd lost a lot of pseudo fathers in her time and never gave a damn, but that day she almost lost her heart as well. Seeing him like that…all weak and… Daisy blinked away a tear and pushed herself up straight in the chair.

She blinked a few times and stared at the man that now sat across from her. He was the younger dad. His dark hair, just starting to thin, was neatly combed…his face clean shaven. He'd taken off the dark suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves. The tie around his neck was still perfectly knotted and in place despite all that had happened since he'd stomped the snow from his feet at the back door. He had no lines of worry across his forehead or little crows feet at the corner of his tired eyes. This man had never headed an agency or been betrayed by someone he trusted to protect the team he gathered. He'd never fought to save S.H.I.E.L.D. or spent months searching for the girl who he didn't know was but truly considered his only child. She'd never forgive herself for that, although he already had.

Her thoughts were put aside by the sound of Coulson clearing his throat. "You are really going to have to open your minds to take all of this in," he smiled as he looked across the table at Phil and Melinda who had taken the seat next to Skye. "I know we did." He looked over his shoulder at May who still refused to sit. Daisy fought the urge to take her place beside her mentor.

"Wait a minute," Phil stopped him. "Won't revealing anything from the future endanger all of us? I mean isn't it like the Grandfather Theory, you change one little thing and the whole world changes?" He sounded a little worried.

"Damn, I wish Fitz was here," Coulson mumbled under his breath. "That might be right, but we didn't come from your future…our future." He corrected himself then looked around the table at the younger versions of himself and May. "Well, maybe _a_ future…or you just haven't caught up yet or we're just a little fast." He shook his head in his own confusion.

Daisy leaned into him, "told you it wasn't easy." She whispered.

"If this is your explanation, I'd rather stay in the dark." Melinda sighed, raising that telltale eye brow again.

xx

Fitz watched the green and orange blips on his computer screen, each bright and vibrant. He relaxed in the contentment that everyone had arrived exactly where they were supposed to arrive. He looked to the monitors on the far wall that still tracked the vital statistics of the team. Everything appeared normal and Jemma, who stood looking at the same monitors seemed just as pleased as he felt.

He slid his chair across the small expanse between his monitors and the small laptop that linked both worlds together. Tapping a few keys, he waited but got no response. Concern crossed his face as worry wormed its way past the contentment.

They'd tried for three days to contact the little girl at the other end of this program without success. Then they argued with May for another three days in an effort to send Daisy to make actual physical contact without alarming the child. In the end the already-frustrated-over-this-entire-ordeal-mother agreed to a one hour window. Daisy had one hour to get in and turn that damn computer on or let the child's parents know they should expect company. One hour, and then she'd go in after her…with Coulson in tow and they'd take matters into their own hands.

At fifty-two minutes she had ordered him to make preparations and by fifty-eight minutes, despite Coulson's desire to give it time, she was ready to go. It was fifty-nine minutes and fifty-two seconds when he sent them through. Hopefully the last eight seconds was the time it took to get to the destination. And exactly one hour after Daisy shimmered out of their universe, two additional green blips appeared on his screen. They'd arrived safely.

Now it was almost thirty minutes later and still no laptop contact. No way to communicate across the dimensions that separated them. Fitz's composure was dwindling.

"There's no reason to fret, Fitz." Jemma smiled as she moved to his side and looked over his shoulder at the little white cursor on the black screen of the laptop. "From what Daisy's said about the May on that side, she isn't very keen on letting Skye use the computer. It may take some convincing."

Fitz scowled and ran a hand through his curls. "If she hasn't destroyed the bloody thing while we were arguing."

"Don't think the worst, Fitz." Jemma encouraged him. "After all it took to get it back, I don't think she would do something like that, especially knowing how much Skye wishes to use it. I don't think she would crush the little girl's feelings like that."

He thought for a moment about sending himself to wherever Daisy was right now, but quickly shook off the image of the Doctor appearing on the other side. He would not take that risk, not now…not ever. It would probably do no good to send Jemma. If Daisy couldn't convince her alternate mum, no one could.

Instead Fitz rolled back to the quietly mesmerizing swirls of the concentric circles on his monitors. There everything seemed to be moving perfectly. There were no indications of turmoil or anxiety and the biometers told the same story. Maybe they could not communicate directly, but the monitors were telling them not to worry…for now.

A soft rumbled rolled under their feet. They ignored it. It had been part of their everyday life since the explosion at the Playground. Mack explained that some of the integrity of the structure had been damaged and the nearby subway caused it to vibrate when it passed on the closest track. He felt it was safe for the time being but the more it vibrated the more it shook the foundation and what little structural integrity was left. The big man wasn't sure how long the base would hold before they'd be forced to leave. In the mean time he, Daisy and Yoyo had been searching for any other structure or base S.H.I.E.L.D. may have had hidden. It was certainly not safe to show themselves in public when every federal and international agency was looking for them.

A second rumble was a bit more intense, shaking the monitors and computers on their bases and causing Fitz's rolling chair to bounce a few inches away from his keyboard. He looked to Jemma who had dropped her ever present clip board and was gripping the edge of the table top. She smiled as the rumble subsided and looked to him with wide eyes.

"That was a bit disturbing," she breathed as he stood and checked his equipment carefully. "Perhaps I should locate Mack and find out what exactly is happening." She was already moving toward the door.

Fitz drew a breath and gave a nod. He turned back to the laptop that had bounced to the edge of the table and slid it back. As Jemma exited he typed into it, hoping the team got his message even if they could not reply.

We are running out of time…

xx

Melinda stared at her older self, so stern and unemotional. She shivered with the apprehension of becoming such a woman. What could have happened to turn her so…so dark and so cold? It could not have been the loss of her family, Phil…or Coulson sat right there, just as much a goofy nerd as always. He was a little scruffy and looked a bit haggard, but he was still the same old Phil. And Skye, who had somehow become Daisy, was as headstrong as she'd always been yet turned into a capable, well trained and beautiful young woman. What the hell had she been thinking allowing her child to become an agent? For a second her own mother's words filtered across her mind when she announced her acceptance at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy. Apparently it ran in the family. Yet, the Melinda May that stood behind Coulson reminded her much more of her mother than a picture of what she might be in less than two decades.

"This would be a lot easier if we had that laptop." Coulson huffed in frustration.

" _My_ laptop?" Skye squeaked as she stood with eyes wide and smiling broadly.

Daisy let out a soft breath. "That'd be it." She mumbled.

Skye giggled with glee as she pushed the chair aside and headed for the alcove.

"Hold it right there," Melinda growled as she grabbed the little girl's arm and stopped her. "That damn thing has caused more trouble that I care to discuss and I won't have it cause any more in my own home. It took my child and almost cost both their lives."

"Actually it wasn't that computer that caused any of the trouble and I know for a fact that Skye was never in any danger." Coulson thought for a moment and chuckled. "Unless you count May's threats to tan her hide a few times."

Skye ducked her head to hide the blush on her cheeks. Melinda let out a soft snort and shook the child's arm gently. "Even in another time you still give me trouble?"

The little girl shrugged, "not on purpose," she mumbled.

"There's another computer?" Phil asked.

"It's how I got here in the first place." Daisy chirped. "It's what started all of this." She rolled her eyes around the room and spread her arms wide. "In fact this whole thing is my fault."

She felt the hand tighten on her shoulder before she realized May had moved to her side. "It's probably best to start at the beginning." May sighed and looked to Coulson who pursed his lips and gave a quick nod.

"What I can piece together from a very intelligent young man," Coulson sighed. "And again, science is definitely not my forte. There are an infinite number of universes and we…you and us," he twirled his finger around the table indicating all of them. "We represent at least two of them."

Melinda let out a 'pishaw' noise and rolled her eyes.

"Absolutely unbelievable…" Phil breathed as he leaned forward to hear more.

Coulson hissed a small laugh. "I'd probably say the same thing," he sat back and shook his head. "But I have seen things…" he shook his head again and held up a hand. "That's another story," he nodded.

"What he's trying to say is," May interrupted. "You might look like us, but we aren't the same people. We haven't lived the same lives."

Skye wrinkled her brow and turned to Daisy.

"I tried to tell you kid." Daisy frowned.

"I'm not you…just not grown up yet?" Skye was close to tears.

Daisy turned quickly and took the child's hand. "Hey, don't do that, kid. You're exactly like me, just a little different. You've got these great parents that love you more than you can even imagine and a home and grandparents and…"

"But, I want to be you, Daisy. I want to be strong and brave and know all the things you know." A tear ran over the little girl's cheek.

"Then you need to listen to your mom. She's the one to teach you all the things I know." Daisy smiled. "She knows a lot more than me and she got a lot more courage and hell, she's stronger than anyone." She leaned closer and whispered into the little girl's ear. "Even if she blisters your ass on a regular basis…you probably deserve it."

Skye let out a sniffly laugh.

May looked at Melinda and took a breath. "I'm not as lucky as you." She began. "I didn't have the opportunity to raise my daughter. I lost her a long time ago." She chose to leave most of the details out of the story.

"Lost her?" Melinda breathed, feeling the pain of being without her child. Even the few days they had been apart were torture. She let the 'how' question remain unasked.

"You mean you just lost her somewhere, like a mall or a park." Skye was flabbergasted. "Didn't you hold your mother's hand?" She squeaked to Daisy. "Didn't you watch her?" She accused May.

"Skye," Melinda softly shushed her child sensing May's anxiety.

"Someone took her from me, made me believe she…" May stopped, looking into the frightened eyes of the younger person of her daughter.

"They made us believe she hadn't survived her birth." Coulson shook his head. It had happened so long ago, but the pain was so fresh…so raw.

Phil drew his hands into fists and swallowed the knot in his throat. His heart thumped rapidly and although the older girl who sat across from him was not his child he would have fought tooth and nail to save her. He and Melinda grew quiet and listened as Coulson and May pieced together their life without their child. Daisy filled in the blanks telling them she had grown up in an orphanage never giving up the search for her parents.

"He found me living in a van," she snorted, then added quickly, "doing some things I shouldn't have been."

Melinda chuckled for the first time, holding Skye close to her heart as they listened to the story. She bent down to look into the little girl's eyes. "See she is just like you, always doing something she shouldn't."

"She was a real pain in the ass," May smirked. She recalled those first few weeks and how she had done what she could to rid the team of _that_ girl. Always in trouble, always needing to be rescued or bailed out of something…that _was_ her Skye. She'd admonished herself a million times over for how she treated the girl in those early days. When she betrayed the team, or so they thought, with that Miles character she wanted to kick her ass all the way back to that damn van in that damn alley. She'd never seen Coulson so hurt and yet he gave her another chance. Somehow he knew and he would not give up on her. When Quinn almost took her from them again…she would have beaten him into putty if Coulson hadn't stopped her. That was almost six years ago and so much had happened since. During all of that time the gnawing feeling in her gut was the love she had for this kid, the feeling that somehow had her child survived she'd been so much like Daisy and she resented Jiaying for claiming her as her own.

May squeezed her daughter's shoulder a little tighter and felt the warmth spread over her as Daisy's hand closed over hers. Connected, they had connected and it held. It held through everything. Everything they fought together and survived had cemented their relationship. Even if that damn random test hadn't revealed their DNA she would never think of Daisy as anything less than her daughter.

.

"I'm sorry you didn't have our mom, Daisy." Skye sniffled as she pulled herself from Melinda's embrace and wrapped her arms around Daisy.

Daisy smiled. "It's okay, Skye. You've shared all those experiences with me. I got to see what it would have been like and I have all those memories just like you."

"I know you're mom loves you a whole lot, Daisy, just like mine." Skye whispered back. She felt Daisy nod in agreement.

"At first we thought this was all just Fitz's computer program, just a game to give Daisy," Coulson pulled in his lips and let out a quick breath. "To give us, the three of us, a chance to make the memories we never got to make. We didn't think you were real, until Skye appeared in our computer room."

"They have a whole room full of computers, mommy. And Dr. Fitz takes care of all of them. He made the program so I can talk to Daisy and she can talk to me, but it got turned off the night I snuck it behind the chair and that's how we got stuck in the wrong times." Skye explained as she climbed back into her mother's lap and lay back against her shoulder. "It wasn't just Daisy's fault. It was my fault too." She spoke to her older self.

Melinda smiled and kissed her child on top of the head. "Of course you had a hand in all of it." She smiled.

"So you've been what…popping in and out of our lives for the last ten years?" Phil suddenly realized.

"More like months," Daisy sighed. "Time moves really strange around here."

"Yeah, Daddy," Skye giggled. "It's summer where Daisy lives, not winter like here and they don't get all this giant snow like us either."

"I guess the weather is not exactly the same either." Coulson shrugged.

"How is it we never knew you were here?" Melinda narrowed her eyes.

"Fitz might be more able to explain all of that," Coulson offered, "with a little help from Simmons."

"Dr. Simmons, the doctor that saved Skye when she was so sick?" Melinda did nothing to hide her shock.

"We had to send her," May explained. "Daisy was just as sick. We had to cure Skye to save Daisy. Simmons was our only chance."

"So she has a counter part in this universe, too?" Phil was enthralled by the possibilities of the situation.

May smiled and shook her head. "She's probably about fifteen and living in Sheffield. Probably studying for a second PHD by this time."

"Sheffield?" Phil and Melinda queried together.

"England?" Coulson wondered. "You do have an England on this world, don't you? Great Brittan?"

"The British Islands?" Phil suggested.

Coulson scratched his head. There was a lot more to this place than Fitz had estimated. He was sure the young scientist would be fascinated.

"We had to come to make sure you knew that Skye wasn't psycho." Daisy interjected in an attempt to get everyone back on track. "Things have gotten so out of whack with all the going back and forth. Everyone needed to know the truth."

"What about the war, Daisy? Why was everyone after you? What about the lady that exploded your house?" Skye wondered. Heck, if it was time to tell the truth she had a lot of questions.

"That would take a lot more explaining," Coulson smiled at the little girl. "I don't think we have enough time, but let's say that due to circumstances beyond our control we've had to keep below the radar."

"That means they're laying low," Skye offered as further explanation to her parents. "But they aren't bad guys."

"And that brings us to some things we need to discuss with your parents, Skye." Coulson told the little girl.

Skye turned up one side of her mouth and let out a breath. "Adult stuff…I know…go to your room Skye…" She pushed herself up from the warmth of her mother's embrace for the second time.

"Melinda," Coulson addressed the child's mother. "With your permission, Daisy and Skye can take the laptop and make contact with Fitz. I know he's waiting for word from us."

Skye spun around to face her mother, Daisy could not help doing the same. Melinda drew a deep breath and looked to Phil who raised his brows telling her it was her decision.

"I trust Daisy," May added. "She won't let anything to Skye."

Melinda closed her eyes and exhaled. She nodded slowly, sending Skye into a hopping, bouncing dance of joy.

"Yes, yes, yes, YES!" The little girl through her arms in the air the rushed to Coulson and wrapped her arms around him, kissing his cheek several time. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She repeated over and over, then grabbed Daisy's hand and pulled her toward the laptop. "Come on, we can go to my room and you can show me…"

"Hold it!" Melinda barked stopping both girls. "You be careful with that damn thing," she narrowed her brows at Daisy. "Any funny business and you'll have me to answer to, understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Daisy smiled. She nodded toward Coulson and May then allowed Skye to drag her across the room.

xx

Mack looked up into the gap that had formed in one of the corridors. Soft puffs of silt dribbled down and out like fine smoke. Elena stood behind him waiting for his assessment of this new development. The large man pulled back and wiped the white powdery silt from his face. Elena smiled at the sight. He resembled a large raccoon.

"That was no train." Mack shook his head and wiped his face with the hem of his t-shirt, erasing the raccoon mask. "Might be, we have less time than I thought."

They both turned as a large rock tumbled from somewhere above through the hole and down into the darkness below. It echoed in the hollow the rumble had created. A second rumble shook the floor causing another chunk of charred concrete to vibrate free. A fist sized hole appeared above Elena's head.

"Dios mio, tenemos que salir de aquí…" Elena breathed "Rápido," Mack agreed. xx

Jemma stopped in the corridor as the second tremor filtered through the base. She held out her arms and bounced back and forth from one wall to the other in an attempt to keep her balance. Small pebbles fell from the already damaged ceiling and blackened dust filled the air. As it subsided the young woman sneezed several times then turned and headed back toward the computer lab.

xx

The tremor was worse on Fitz's side of the compound. He rocked violently with the rumble beneath his feet, desperately trying to hold his balance and keep his computers from toppling with the vibration. The laptop bounced across the table heading for the edge. The young man let go of the counter top and caught it with one hand, tucked it under his arm and resumed his hold as the room shook.

The gurneys that had served as a base for Coulson and the girls bounced and rolled into each other in a cacophony of metal on metal. Sparks flew from the biometers that blipped and blinked off and on light wild Christmas lights. The monitors on three of Fitz's computers went dark for several seconds before flashing back to light. The young man held his breath as the sound of his machines went silent then revved back with renewed energy. A keyboard, just out of his reach shimmied to the side and slid to the floor, crashing with a small explosion of black lettered tiles that were sent in all directions. He thanked technology for wireless boards giving it nothing to yank along with its fall.

Jemma stumbled through the door and fought to cross the room to help hold the computers in place. The entire structure bounced and shivered for a few seconds before the tremor died away and left the room still and quiet. Neither scientist moved or spoke, both waiting for something more before daring to think it had stopped. A spark popped on the middle biometer causing them both to jump and turn toward the sound.

Fitz stood back with both hands held out just in case. Jemma waited for his signal that all was well. The young man ran his hands across the sides of his head and joined them together in the back. He let out a soundless whistle and gave Jemma a slight nod.

She stood back slowly and smiled a second before a loud pop sounded and everything went black.


	62. 62 Shake, Rattle and Roll

**Chapter 62**

 **Shake, Rattle and Roll**

Jemma froze in the blackness so thick she could see nothing. Fitz slid to the side and wrapped his hand around her small cold one.

The girl let out a relieved breath and whispered. "What happened?"

"Tremor has taken out the power." Fitz responded with confidence. "Give it a bit and the emergency power will take over."

Jemma nodded even though she knew he could not see. She squeezed his hand instead. They stood in the darkness listening to the odd sounds that were masked by the usual clatter of the base. Jemma shivered, wondering if the scratching noise was some sort of rodent and moved closer to Fitz, who wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

He counted the seconds in his head…twenty-five…thirty…forty-five…almost a full minute and no change…no soft hum that signaled the circuits were returning to function mode. He strained his ears to try to detect even the softest hint of a reboot.

"Do you think it's out all over the base or just here?" Jemma whispered.

"I would suspect it's taken out the entire base." Fitz sighed. "This is taking too long."

Jemma could feel the tension in his voice as he stepped away. She closed her eyes and pictured where she'd been standing when the lights went out. Reaching out slowly she rested her hands on the counter and took a step forward. In the silence she could hear Fitz moving slowly about the room.

"Fitz, what are you doing? You can't see a thing." She listened to the rattle that came from behind the computers but received no answer from the young engineer. "Fitz?!"

"I'm just checking the connection, Jemma, making sure nothing has come undone." Fitz replied in a muffled voice. Clearly he was climbing around in back of the machines.

"Fitz," Jemma exclaimed with a soft stomp of one foot. "You are going to…"

A loud crackle and arc of lime green light crossed the room as the lights flashed on and off twice before illuminating the area. A second crackle shot from under the computers.

"Damn!" Fitz growled as he pulled out from the same spot, shaking the burn off his hand.

"Fitz!" Jemma was at his side in an instant, pulling his hand into hers to examine the injury.

He pulled it back quickly. "I'm fine Jemma." He breathed heavily as he moved to his computers, tapping the keyboard frantically but the monitors remained black.

Jemma sucked in a quick breath, definitely hurt by his sudden rejection. She swallowed hard and brushed it off as the tension that tremor had caused. They were both on edge, not to mention quite shaken. Jemma almost laughed at the pun.

"Perhaps it needs a few minutes to recalibrate itself," she suggested softly.

Fitz let out a fluttery breath and set his hands backward on his hips. He stood for a moment in that position and Jemma only watched in silence, knowing he was deep in thought.

"Perhaps," the man muttered and she smiled thinking he was agreeing with her. "It is certainly possible." He added without looking at her.

Jemma smiled. "Yes, just like the lights…"

Before she could continue, Fitz had dropped his arms to his side and hurried behind the tower of screens and bases, muttering something about peripherals being shaken free. She stood open-mouthed listening to him swear at whatever it was he was doing.

"Is everyone…" Mack asked breathlessly as he rushed into the room.

"Fitz?" Elena asked with a touch of apprehension.

Jemma nodded toward the tech tower and shook her head. "Whatever took out the power did something to his program. It hasn't yet come back. He's checking some sort of…"

"Nothing," Fitz spat as he stomped his foot and brushed the soot from his pants. "Nothing is out of place, nothing has come loose. There is no visible reason for the system to be offline."

Mack shook his head. "That might not be the worst of our problem, Turbo. This place is coming apart. We need to get out of here."

"Where are Coulson and May?" Elena asked, scanning the room. "Are they hurt?" She moved to the overturned gurneys.

"They're with Daisy." Jemma stated, suddenly understanding Fitz's agitation. "All of them are…"

"On the other side," Fitz huffed, uncharacteristically finishing her sentence rather than vice versa. "And if we don't get this machine working, they may not be coming back."

xx

"What are we gonna do first?" Skye smiled eagerly as she crawled across her bed then turned to face Daisy. The little girl folded her legs criss-cross in front of her and looked up at her big self. She patted the space next to her urging Daisy to sit as well.

Daisy held the laptop against her stomach with both hands. Hesitating for a few seconds before sitting, she shook her head. "The only thing we're going to do is let Fitz know we're here and everything is fine."

Skye pulled a serious pout. "You sound just like mom." She reached behind her and pulled a pillow onto her lap, landing a fist into its center. "No fun… This is perfect," her smile returned as she leaned forward watching Daisy open the laptop and hit the power button. "You can show me some good stuff I can use if mom ever lets me use the damn thing."

"Mom, is it now?" Daisy smiled as she waiting for the laptop to boot. She slapped the sole of Skye's sneaker with one hand. "Don't say 'damn' kid."

"Yer the only one hearing me," Skye chortled as she leaned back and then forward again. "You gonna tell?"

The laptop screen flickered black then turned to blue as the small apps blipped into place. Daisy watched, ignoring the little girl's antics. She'd never had to start Fitz's big-headed program. It was always just there, apparently remotely controlled by him. Now she scanned the apps on the screen looking for what might start that program. She wondered if dimwit Chuck from tech might have deleted it in his haphazard attempt to 'fix' the thing. Terms a lot worse than 'damn' swirled on the tip of her tongue.

"Come on, Daisy," Skye was on her knees behind Daisy, peering over her shoulder. "One thing, just show me one thing…" She was bouncing up and down causing the mattress to do the same.

"Cool it," Daisy snarled, holding up one hand. "First things first…"

"Then you will? You'll show me?" Skye squealed as she wrapped her arms around Daisy's neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Daisy grabbed the laptop with one hand, to keep it from slipping to the floor. With the other she grabbed Skye's. "Kid, you're choking me…I can't do anything if I can't breathe."

Skye released her hold, apologizing quickly as she scramble to sit next to her big self and watch whatever it was Daisy was doing. "Do you have to hack into it to get to Fitz?"

Daisy frowned. "No, the program should be here." She lifted her hands from the keyboard and spread her fingers in frustration. "I don't even know what it looks like and nothing here is familiar."

"That's all stuff Daddy put in so I wouldn't do anything stupid." Skye informed her.

Turning slowly, Daisy stared into Skye's eyes. "Well, we are way past that." She deadpanned in true May form.

Skye stared back for a moment before breaking into a fit of giggles which infected Daisy very quickly. Composing herself, the older girl took a deep breath. "This is getting us nowhere. Which one is it? How did you start the program?"

Skye shrugged. "I didn't. It was just there all by itself. Maybe you just need to wait and Fitz does something to make it work."

The kid was right. Fitz initiated the program from his end. Maybe all they had to do was wait for him to know it was on and he'd take care of the rest. Computers, Daisy knew in and out but she was completely illiterate when it came to all that multi-universe mumbo jumbo.

The older girl let out a breath over her lip. "Then I guess we wait." She stood and walked across the room, setting the laptop on Skye's desk.

The little girl threw herself back on the bed and flung both arms out to her sides. "How long?" she groaned.

Staring at the screen, Daisy shrugged. "Guess that depends on Fitz."

Skye sat up and held out her hands in front of her. "What if it's night there? What if he's sleeping? It could take forever!" She fell back again assuming the same position.

Daisy rolled her eyes and wondered if she had been such a pain in the ass at Skye's age. "It will not take forever and it was just after breakfast when I left."

"You said time was different here." Skye mumbled from under the pillow she had pulled over her face.

"It doesn't matter. Fitz won't sleep until he makes contact." Daisy plopped down hard next to the little girl, causing her to bounce up and then down.

For a few moments, both remained silent. Daisy tried to imagine something less than Fitz-Simmons being arrested and dragged away in cuffs that was keeping them from contacting her. Skye grumbled to herself that Daisy wouldn't show her anything about hacking. She kicked the side of the bed but remained under the pillow that covered her face.

"What do you suppose your mom and dad had to tell mine that was so secret they had to send us away?" The little girl mumbled from under the pillow.

"Sent _you_ away," Daisy corrected, staring at the laptop across the room. "They sent you, I'm just here to make sure you _stay_ away."

"HA!" Skye shouted as she tossed the pillow aside and raised herself up on one elbow.

Daisy turned slowly. "Ha? What ha?" She frowned at the little girl, who was smiling sarcastically. "You forget, little person, _I_ am not a child."

Skye narrowed her eyes and stared at her big self for a moment then turned up one side of her face and let out a snort. "You're _their_ child," she swiped a finger at Daisy. Then smiled and fell back to the mattress folding her hands on her middle. "Always will be," she finished with a curt nod.

Daisy stared at the smaller version of herself for a few seconds, digesting what the kid had said, then let out a spluttery breath. "Guess you aren't a good listener…hell, I never was." She shook her head.

"I did so too listen!" Skye shot back in defense, as she sat up like a shot. "You're the rotten listener." She glared at Daisy over her brows and pointed a finger.

Daisy raised her brows and pointed a finger at herself asking a silent 'me?'.

"Yeah, you," Skye huffed, giving Daisy a soft shove.

"Then I guess you missed the part about me only being _their_ daughter for a couple weeks." Daisy shot back.

Skye plopped her arms across her chest and let out a fluttery breath. "You sure are dopey for a grown up. Everybody knows you're somebody's kid as soon as you get borned." The little girl shook her head. "Even if you weren't in their house, you were _still their_ daughter and they _loved_ you. So _you_ weren't listening. HA!"

Daisy opened her mouth to retort then snapped it shut. How the hell did this little kid know about stuff like this? Maybe it was some kind of kid thing? She shook her head and took a breath. "How would you know?" She asked her lap as she dropped her hands there.

"Cuz no matter what they say about all different universes, we're still the same and out moms and dads are the same too. My mommy loves me to the moon and back and that means your mom loves you the same. All them years she didn't have you she loved you anyway." Skye held her hands out in front of her.

"Skye," Daisy sighed. "They thought I was dead. They just wanted to forget."

"Un ah," Skye shook her head. "Dint your mom tell you about…" She leaned around Daisy and snatched the floppy dog from her the head of her bed. She shook it gently toward Daisy. "Ling-a-ling…did she?"

Daisy shook her head. "She started to, but things…well, things get crazy really fast where I come from…"

Skye scooted to the end of the mattress and placed her hand over Daisy's. "It's okay. Mom needs to tell you, cuz she really needs you to know that she loved you all that time, just like Mommy loves me now."

Daisy smiled at the sight of their hands together. She thought about something she hadn't in a very long time…a feeling…a feeling no one ever believed. They told her it was just her imagination, but she didn't think so…it felt too real.

"You know," she started as she turned her hand and closed it around the smaller one. "When I was little like you…"

"I'm not really little." Skye smiled. "I'm ten."

"Right," Daisy clicked her tongue and winked. "When I was ten," she corrected. "I used to get theis feeling about my mom and dad…that wherever they were they were loving me." She smiled and a put a hand to her cheek to mask the blush. Even now…even tell her self, it was embarrassing…but then she would argue with anyone who doubted her. "That's about time I really, seriously started trying to find them. I just knew…"

"They loved you?" Skye asked quickly. "They did…all the time." She answered herself before Daisy could.

Daisy sighed. It was so easy to believe when she was ten, but now she looked at it through the cynical eyes of an adult. She truly remembered the feeling, but now it just felt like something a kid would believe, like unicorns and wishing on a star…kid stuff. And she was an abandoned kid, all abandoned kids believed somebody was looking for them…loving them.

"I bet if you ask them, they'll say they did." Skye nodded.

Daisy let out a soft snort. "Yeah, they'll think I'm nuts."

"Okay," Skye jumped up and headed for the door. "I'll ask them, come on," she motioned for Daisy to follow.

Daisy was on her feet in a second. "Whoa!" She snagged Skye's arm.

"It's okay," Skye nodded. "They're probably done by now or we could make a lot of noise and they'll hear us and stop." She smiled, obviously from experience.

Tugging Skye back toward the bed, Daisy sighed, "Yeah, well we'll just let them tell us when they're done."

"Chicken," Skye giggled as she stumbled back led by her older self.

Both girls stopped as the computer made a fluttering bleep and the blue screen turned to black. The white cursor blinked at the top of the screen.

"Fitz?" Skye looked to Daisy expectantly.

Daisy grabbed the computer, sat on the bed and plopped it on her lap. Both watched and waited for anything the engineer would send.

xx

Mack stood for a moment, digesting Fitz's statement. "I thought you said you had all this gobble dee gook saved on one of those finger stick things." He tried not to growl.

"Thumb drives," Elena and Jemma corrected.

Fitz was already at the main terminal. He'd pulled the metal door from its place and peered into the mass of wires and boards inside. "Yes, yes…it's all right here." He answered absently. The young man refused to address the thumb drive statement. Did any of them actually believe his program could be maintained on something so commonplace? Sure he could pull the boards, take the hard drive but without a system to plug them into they'd be worthless. There was nothing else on the base. Fitz had used every piece of every device that hadn't been damaged in the explosion to Frankenstein this mass of technology. The man paused for a moment and scratched his head in thought. What if that is what provided the means for the program to punch its way through dimensions into another universe?

"Turbo!" Mack barked for the third time. "FITZ!" He bellowed and the man turned toward him. "I said we gotta think about getting out of here before this whole place falls down around us. Get them back, now."

"I'd like nothing more than to that Agent Mackenzie," Fitz was clearly pissed. "But without power I can't do a bloody damn thing." He barked back.

"You don't have a back up power source?" Mack snarled loudly. "What kind of…you said you took every safety measure."

"The generator needs petrol to work, Mack," Fitz spat. "We haven't had that bit of luxury in months. The last of it went two weeks ago."

"What!?" Mack demanded. "Whe…Why?"

"Do you think I let the program blink off and on every time the bloody power did the same?" Fitz was livid. "It's been backing up my systems since they came on line. Did you think there was enough power left in this bit of a shell to keep us all alive and run all of this?" His voice almost squeaked as he through one hand up behind him indicating the mass of pc's, screens, and keyboard. "Not to mention all the medical nonsense Simmons insisted we use."

"You mean you've been…" Mack started.

"Enough!" Jemma shouted.

"Stop!" Elena yelled at the same time. "We will solve nothing with all of this arguing."

A soft rumble moved beneath their feet, as if the base was agreeing. The lights flickered but remained lit. The computers wobbled slightly. Fitz hurried to hold on to what he could. Simmons was at his side in an instant. Both looked back at Mack was the vibration faded.

"Fitz," Mack's tone softened. "We need to get out of here. I've already told Davis, Piper and anyone else dimwitted enough to still be here to get whatever they need to the Zephyr."

"To where, Mack?" Fitz turned, defeat in his voice. "Where will we go? We've run out of secret bases and hidey holes that Fury ferreted around the planet. And how can we just leave and not…" He stopped and drew a breath, refusing to look at Simmons' tear streaked face. "We can't just abandon them." His voice rose in pitch. "They don't even know…" It dropped again.

Mack drew a breath and pulled a hand down over his face as he turned away and then back. "Okay, okay…" he tried to drag his calm into place and think of a solution at the same time. Fitz was right. They couldn't leave their director and the strongest women on their team lost in another dimension. Daisy had risked everything to dive into the Framework and pull them out. There had to be a way.

"Okay," he repeated and everyone else waited for him to continue. "Okay, engineer," He slapped a hand on Fitz's shoulder and pulled him away from the computers then pointed him toward the doors. "We are going to the power room and together we're going to get some juice in here." He pushed Fitz forward then turned back to Jemma and Elena. "Don't worry, we'll get them back."

As he stepped into the hall he mumbled under his breath. "Or we'll all go together…"

Jemma brushed away her tears as she watched them leave. Elena moved to her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The laptop on the table let out a soft blip. Fitz had configured a warning signal alerting him should the laptop be turned on in Skye's world. It was essential during the time Daisy was on a mission to retrieve the damn thing.

The young doctor recognized the sound and quickly flipped open the top. The screen blinked blue then black and a few seconds later the cursor blinked in the top left corner. She debated on whether to race after Fitz or just take this into her own hands.

"I thought you said…" Elena began, nodded toward the laptop.

"It runs on a battery." Jemma smiled. "A wonderful self charging battery that Fitz created for Daisy on missions where she had no access to power."

She started to explain, using terms that meant nothing to Elena except a headache. The older woman held up a hand. "I get it." She smiled. "Now what?" She frowned.

"Now I let Daisy know what is going on here." Jemma set her fingers over the home keys.

Elena grabbed her wrist. "Do you think that is such a good idea? We can't tell her anything yet."

Jemma thought for a moment and nodded. "You're right," she nodded. "But, I do need to let her know we are here. I believe the rest can wait until Fitz and Mack get this monstrosity started again."

Elena gave a quick nod and released the doctor's wrist. Jemma held her fingers over the keyboard and scrunched up one side of her face in thought. After a few seconds she smiled and gave a quick nod then tapped the keys and stood back to wait for an answer.

xx

 _Hello,Daisy. Hope everyone is well. Working on getting you home._

Daisy stared at the message. While friendly, it certainly wasn't Fitz. Why would he say he was working on getting them home? He knew how to get them home. He'd done it how many times already.

"What?" Skye interrupted her thoughts. "Answer him," the little girl pointed toward the screen.

"Something's wrong…" Daisy whispered, more to herself than to Skye.

"No," the little girl laughed. "It's fine, right there…see. Fitz sent a message."

Daisy shook her head. "That is not Fitz." She nodded toward the screen.

Before Skye could react, Daisy tapped the keys.

 _Simmons, Where is Fitz? What's wrong?_

xx

Elena looked at the screen and turned up one side of her face. She shook her head. "So much for not telling her anything is wrong."

Jemma laughed nervously a second before another rumble shook the room and turned the black screen to a shower of zig-zagging lines of various widths.

Across the dimensions the laptop on Daisy's lap did the same.


	63. 63 You See the Problem

**Chapter 63**

 **You See the Problem**

Coulson cleared his throat a few times and tried not to think about how ridiculous it felt to explain his life to…to his self. This guy, a few years his junior, looked a hell of a lot healthier and more full of life than he'd felt in ages. He glanced at the never aging May and wondered if she felt the same way. He wondered if she noticed how Melinda had reached across the table and took Phil's hand in hers, how they looked into each other's eyes with silent reassurance. He wondered if he and May looked the same to their team.

"I guess we have a lot of explaining to do," he smiled. "We've been borrowing your life for quite a while."

"I can't believe you were here and we never suspected." Phil shook his head.

Melinda was quiet for a few seconds before raising her head and growling, "You _used_ our bodies? How exactly did you…"

"We were always here together," May reassured her. "If we did anything, it was consensual."

"I take it things are different in your…world." Phil wasn't exactly sure what term was appropriate.

Coulson and May exchanged a quick glance. "Not so much as it was." He smiled. "I think being here made us realize what you already knew."

"We had to make choices a long time ago," May breathed. "Being together as you are would have meant we couldn't do what we…"

"It was a hard choice," Coulson interrupted. "I don't think either of us regrets it. Our superiors at the time would have insisted we resign our positions in order to be together. It just was not allowed."

"Luckily, things _are_ different here." Phil smiled as he lifted Melinda's hand to his lips and kissed it lightly.

Melinda pulled her hand away and lightly swatted him. They both smiled. "Our superiors have no issue with agents fraternizing or starting families."

Coulson shook his head. He could not imagine how anyone could do what he and his team did, day after day, and still have a family. There were too many close calls and that incident on the Helicarrier…how would May have dealt with his 'death' and what came after? How different would their lives have been after Bahrain? How would he have kept them together through all of that? How would she? Would they have even been able to share a life after losing their only child? Would all of that have changed the fact that they had found her?

Too many questions and scenarios played out in his mind. Here in this reality it worked. This Coulson and this May had their little girl and did their work. Here it all came together.

"I'm sure things have been crazy with all Daisy's popping in and out and…well, I guess we need to apologize for that." Coulson sighed. "We…we were trying to give her the life we all lost."

"Through some damn computer juju," Melinda growled. "I knew those damn things were good for nothing. Next thing you know some dimwit will put it in human form and we'll all be part of some damn computer program."

May rolled her eyes. "If you only knew," she grumbled under her breath. Coulson merely smiled. Hopefully, in this world Alistair Fitz was a much better man than he had been in theirs and Radcliffe never developed his artificial intelligence model.

"In the wrong hands…" Coulson shook his head. "That's why we're here, to stop the things that put the world in danger."

"To be the shield," Phil added with a nod.

"We've learned enough through observation, and from what Daisy's shared, to know you work for an agency similar to ours." Coulson stated.

Phil nodded. Melinda and May exchanged glares.

A few minutes later all four were marveling at how both agencies shared the same name. Coulson shared the recent history of his agency and the fact that those that remained were now hiding from the authorities in a burnt out shell of a base while searching for a new home.

"Maybe we can help," Phil stood and started for the hallway. "I've got a list of emergency shelters. There's a chance they may exist in your dimension, or there may be something similar."

"Phil, that is classified…" Melinda started.

The younger man let out a soft chuckle. "Can't really be revealing any secrets when I'm talking to myself. Can I?" He took a few steps then turned back and looked to Coulson. "Coming?"

Coulson stood and faced May for a moment. He looked over his shoulder at the younger version of his right hand. "Can I trust you two together?" He smiled in jest.

May turned up one side of her mouth and shook her head. "Check on those two," she cocked her head toward the stairs. "Make sure they haven't found a way to flip themselves into some other damn computer fantasy land."

Coulson nodded at May then did the same to Melinda and followed his alternate self out of the room.

xx

"What's wrong with it?" Skye asked anxiously as she pushed closer to Daisy's side in order to see the small screen.

Daisy intently tapped a few keys with no results. "I don't know…" she spoke more to herself than to her self. "It just…" She wasn't really listening to the little girl, just trying to make some sense of what was happening. "I've never seen this on a computer screen…it's…"

"What're you gonna do? Can you fix it?" Skye sounded desperate.

Daisy sat back and spread her hands out over the screen. She paused for a moment then hit the power switch and watched as the screen went dark.

"What did you do?" Skye squealed as she landed a punch on Daisy's shoulder.

Barely noticing the child's action, Daisy shrugged. "First rule of tech, when all else fails shut it down…" she smiled and hit the power button again. "Then turn it back on…"

They watched as the laptop once again booted, flipping from blue to black to blue as the apps appeared. The screen blipped to black with the cursor once again blinking in the top left corner.

"Not again," Skye sighed as she fell back on the mattress.

"Yeah, again…" Daisy remarked…but her mind was on what exactly was happening in that computer room back at the base.

xx

After a few very uncomfortable minutes, Melinda stood and turned toward the stove. She lifted the kettle and raised it without turning around. "Tea?" She offered with one word.

May thought for a moment about the absurdity of the situation then yanked out a chair and fell onto it. She folded her arms over her chest and nodded. Melinda did the same less than a millisecond after. She set the kettle on the flame and reached into the nearest cabinet for another cup and saucer. May watched as she rifled through another cupboard then carried a china tea pot to the table complete with a silver chained tea-ball.

"Yu Maofeng," Melinda almost growled as she set the small tin on the table. "I have oth…"

May raised a hand. "It's fine."

The tea kettle screeched its readiness. Melinda turned to remove it from the heat as May added the proper amount of the dried leaves to the tea ball and set it inside the teapot. She ran her fingers lightly over the deep red floral pattern that covered it and the matching cups and saucers.

"My mother's…" Melinda offered as she poured the boiling water into the kettle.

"Only three cups," May smiled at the object and the fine silver teaspoon probably used only for those times Lian visited.

Melinda stared for a moment then added. "I broke one when I was ten…"

"Knocked it to the floor in the middle of an argument over curfew after a birthday party," May recalled.

"Didn't sit for a week," they exaggerated simultaneously.

For a moment the two women stared at each other then broke into what could be considered soft smiles.

"Maybe we aren't as different as it seems." Melinda remarked as she poured the almost clear tea into May's cup.

May nodded as she sipped the tea. Melinda slipped into her chair as the deafening silence once again surrounded them for a few seconds before she lay her hand on May's and squeezed softly. May looked up, clearly confused but did not pull away.

"I am so sorry you lost your child," Melinda sighed as a tear slipped from the corner of her eye. "I cannot imagine how you…"

For as much as May wanted to yank her hand away and tell this woman to mind her own business, something stopped her. It was an odd feeling, especially to the seasoned agent. She'd never felt relaxed with anyone…not like this…this was like…she couldn't describe the feeling.

"There are some things that have to be pushed away…" May breathed softly, almost at a whisper. "I…never forgot her and…" She paused thinking she had never revealed what she was about to say to anyone, not even Coulson. "The cry…I heard her cry." She looked up and away from this younger version of herself, blinking away unwanted tears.

Melinda squeezed the hand she held and struggled to contain her own tears. She felt pain she never thought possible and had an overwhelming urge to race upstairs and take her baby into her arms then hold her and let all of those feelings release. Instead she swallowed the urge and gave a soft nod, encouraging May to continue.

It wasn't difficult. It seemed the feelings and the words just poured out as if this is what they'd been waiting for all this time. "I know it was her and there were so many nights I would wake and swear…swear I could hear her." May's tears were flowing freely and the woman who was her younger self was holding both her hands in her own.

"Tell me," Melinda softly smiled through her own tears.

May drew a shaky breath and gave a short nod. Phil's words before he left the kitchen came back to her. 'I'm telling myself.'

xx

Daisy and Skye looked up at the soft knock on the door a second before Phil opened it just enough to pop his head inside.

"Haven't done anything I wouldn't, have you?" He smiled at the two versions of his daughter.

"Daddy," Skye rolled her eyes as Daisy shook her head. "It's not even working." The little girl frowned. "I think it's broke from not using it so much."

Phil pushed the door fully open and stepped inside. Coulson remained in the doorway. "Not possible," he consoled his little girl as he sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "And even if there's a problem I am sure Daisy has everything under control." He smiled at the older girl.

Daisy glanced to Coulson then offered Phil a quick smile before she rose and joined the older man at the door. She held the laptop in front of her as she cocked her head toward the hall, motioning for him to step out with her.

Coulson smiled at the girl. "Got you stumped?"

"N…no," she did a double take then lowered her voice. "Coulson, something is wrong. Computers don't…" She turned the screen toward him. Once again it displayed the snowy background of an older model television, complete with black and white zig-zagging horizontal lines.

"You…" Coulson started as he took the device in his hands.

"I've tried everything. It's like the damn thing forgot it was a computer and turned into some tube filled seventies television." Daisy snarled as she pulled the laptop back.

"Hey, don't knock the seventies…my formative years." Coulson sighed trying to lighten the situation.

Daisy rolled her eyes and let out fluttery breath. "This is the only way we can reach Fitz." She whispered hoarsely. "There's something wrong there." She looked over her shoulder at Phil still consoling Skye then moved closer to Coulson and whispered even softer. "What if Talbot's goons found them?"

xx

"I used to picture what she would have looked like." May confessed as Melinda poured another cup of tea. "Every birthday…Christmas…first day of school…I'd think about her and wonder." She stared into the liquid that shimmered in the delicate cup and let out a breathy laugh. "I'd wonder which of us she'd be more like…"

"She's a combination of both," Melinda smiled, dropping a cube of sugar into her tea. "She certainly has my stubborn streak, but that smile when she wants something is definitely her father."

May nodded. "She's tough, dedicated, driven…"

"Pigheaded," they both laughed.

"Once she gets something in her head…" Melinda started.

"There's no changing her mind." May finished.

For a moment both women considered their daughters…their similarities and differences. Melinda spoke first, although hesitantly.

"How did she become…Daisy? Is it some sort of nickname?"

May thought for a moment about the goofy story Coulson had told Skye when she asked the same question. Aside from the ridiculousness of it, now was the time for truths. She drew a deep breath and tapped a finger on the side of her cup.

"The people who took her…they weren't able to keep her. There was an incident and many people… _agents_ were killed but the baby was saved. S.H.I.E.L.D. hid her from everyone, gave her a name and moved her from family to family until," May laughed in spite of herself. "Until she got tired of it and took off on her own. When we found her she was calling herself Skye. She told one of the others she just liked the name, thought her mother would like it too." The women smiled at each other. "She was with us for a little more than a year before all hell broke loose. The people who had stolen her survived the incident and that man," May stopped and swallowed the bile that even referring to the horrific doctor as a man brought to her mouth. "We learned he was searching for her." She grit her teeth thinking about Ward and his betrayal and how all of it led to Daisy's…to everything the girl survived in those months.

Melinda sipped her tea. "You still had no idea she was your lost child."

May felt the flush of guilt as she shook her head. "I was too angry…with myself and my own choices to see past my need to push everyone and everything away. I just wanted her gone." She admitted and quickly swiped away the tear that leaked from one eye. For a moment she watched anger flash across Melinda's features. "But not like that..." she added.

"He was a monster, a psychopathic, homicidal monster. I wasn't about to let him take her." May admitted to herself and to her self. "We'd come through a lot by that time and…and she meant a lot to me." Suddenly, May jumped to her feet and slammed a fist on the table before walking away, drawing a deep breath and turning back. "Damn it! She was just a kid and this maniac was after her. She was still green and so damn stubborn she thought she could just rush in there and…"

Melinda stood and walked slowly toward her counter part. "Thinks she's indestructible," the younger woman shook her head.

May nodded and stifled a sob. "But he took her and almost killed Coulson in the process…she…she stopped him, threatened to kill him if he didn't stop, but she couldn't pull the trigger and he…"

"Took her again?"

May shook her head. "No…but we lost her anyway…" She stopped, remembering Coulson's screams from the pit of that hollow temple. His voice echoed through its empty corridors and every 'Skye!' that reached her ears drove a stake through her heart. And then the rumble, the shake, the crumbling of walls and rocks, dust and eerie silence that followed telling her she'd lost both of them before she had a chance to… May clenched her fists in self reproach. She hated herself for many things she'd done throughout her career, her life, but even more for the things she hadn't.

xx

"Talbot's the only thing keeping the goons away." Coulson assured her. "He's sent them on more wild goose chases than even I thought possible. Not quite sure if he's acting crazy or he's really lost it, but my sources…"

"Forget sources, Coulson. Something's wrong…" Daisy snarled at his flip response.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her a little closer. "It's okay, Daisy. We'll take care of it. Everything will be fine. Fitz knows what he's doing and well, he's probably doing something to make things easier for you. Just give him a little time, huh?"

The girl narrowed her eyes and glanced at Coulson sideways. She opened her mouth to tell him to stop patronizing but the sight of Phil and Skye stopped her. It was almost as if she was looking in a mirror. Skye had stood with Phil next to her, his arm around her shoulder as he consoled her. She watched as he placed a kiss on the little girl's temple and barely reacted as Coulson did the same to her. Pausing for a moment, she turned and looked into the man's eyes as he smiled back.

"You keep at it, sweet pickle. I'm sure it's just a little glitch." Coulson grinned as he one-arm hugged her then stepped away as Phil walked toward them.

"Glitch," was the only word Daisy heard Phil speak before he walked away from his little girl and joined Coulson as they walked down the hall toward the master bed room. She stood staring.

"Daddy says we should keep trying because it's probably just a little…" Skye spoke, standing next to her and staring in the same direction.

"Glitch…" Daisy finished. "Yeah…I heard." She looked at the child for a moment then nudged her back into the bedroom. "You keep at it, sweet pickle. I'm sure it's just a little glitch. That's what he said to you wasn't it?" She asked and crossed her fingers that she was wrong.

Skye smiled. "Of course, he always calls me sweet pickle but how did you hear him all the way out in the hall."

"I didn't." Daisy mumbled, staring toward the door. "Coulson said the same thing and he _never_ calls me sweet anything."

Skye looked toward the door, wondering what Daisy might be staring at in the hall. She shrugged her shoulders. "That's weird."

"Yeah," Daisy breathed. "I think we've got more problems that this thing." She lifted the laptop a bit.

"Cuz they're being weird?" Skye scrunched up her nose.

"Yeah, real weird…" Daisy breathed heavily before turning her attention back to the computer.

xx

"Watch your step, Turbo…this place isn't in the best shape since…" Mack let the statement drop as he looked over his shoulder at Fitz who stepped carefully behind him.

They each carried a flashlight that barely pieced a pinhole in the total darkness. This area of the base had taken the brunt of the blast, dropping huge chunks of concrete through the corridors that lead to the heart of the Playground. Mack had been there a few times since they'd returned. It took everything he could MacGyver to get enough power up and running…to provide lights and life support for the handful of agents still willing to risk their lives for what was left of S.H.I.E.L.D. He knew this was the weakest section of the structure and even the train that ran clear across the expanse of the base shook this area to its core. Silt fell continuously like an eerie snowstorm and every step resulted in a creak or crack that could be the final warning before it fell into the bowels of the earth below.

Fitz sneezed twice causing Mack to stop in his tracks and hold up a hand that the younger man walked into immediately. Both men stood frozen in place as a soft rumble rolled beneath their feet. They stood holding their collective breath as it subsided. Seconds passed as they stood staring into the darkness.

"Okay?" The large dark man asked, flashing his light at Fitz who gave a quick nod as an answer.

They once again began their slow, careful trek to the power supply room. Once there, Mack pointed out the large concrete slab that partially covered the doorway and demonstrated the moves it took to enter the area. Fitz followed suit and a few seconds later found himself standing in front of the large electrical panels that provided the energy needed by the base. He frowned at the burnt out cables and overturned switchboards black with the soot of the explosion.

"The three in the corner sustained the least damage." Mack nodded toward the area as he lit a battery operated lantern, bringing more light to the room. "I managed to get them connected to that," he pointed with the screwdriver he'd grabbed from the box on the floor. "Pumped enough power for what we needed, but not without sacrifice."

Fitz rubbed the silt from his face then dropped his hands to his hips and frowned. He let his eyes follow a rainbow of colored wires from one connection to another and then another as his mind pictured where in the base it serviced. The younger man stepped over several chunks of concrete and moved behind the panel of circuits to a sealed panel against the farthest wall. He moved a large sheet of metal that lay against it then frowned at the large dents in the panel beneath. Mack stepped behind him and stared at the panel as well.

"Back up generators," he nodded toward them. "Went out months ago, had to use the reserve power to keep everything else up and running."

Fitz shook his head. "We've got to get this off." He reached up and tugged on the panel.

"Hold on, Turbo." Mack frowned. "This is useless. There's nothing left to pirate."

"I am not interested in pirating, Mack. This…" Fitz tapped on the panel, "is reserve power I can make work for us. All we have to do is reconnect the circuits and cross wire it with that." He pointed to a large cable that hung like a fire hose from the ceiling.

Mack looked up at the school bus colored cable and couldn't help laughing. "That?" He pointed up and shook his head as he stepped away and then back. "That?" He opened his eyes wide and turned serious. "Do you know what that is?"

"If I'm not mistaken it is one of the main electrical cables that runs beneath the city. That said it holds more than enough electricity for what we need." He frowned as he attempted to turn the screwdriver he had taken from Mack to loosen the screws that held the panel in place.

"Fitz," Mack exclaimed looking up at the cable. "That is a…do you know how many volts of power…" He couldn't believe what the younger man was suggesting.

"We don't need it all, Mack…" Fitz puffed between breaths as he worked at loosening the screw. "Just need to make use of a wee bit. They'll not even notice."

Mack pulled the screwdriver from the man's hand and gave it two quick turns then pulled the screw free and moved to the second one that held the panel in place. "That cable is full of live wires, Fitz. How do you propose we _borrow_ any of it?"

"Very carefully…" Fitz answered as he took the now loose panel from Mack and set it against the wall then peered into the tangle of wires inside.

xx

"Dios mio!" Elena growled. "¿Qué hiciste?"

Jemma let out a frustrated hiss. "I haven't _done_ anything." She barked back.

"Well, it is not working and you are the one who…" She wriggled her fingers in a typing motion.

Jemma set the laptop on the table and turned to the older woman. "All I did was say hello to them. I did not do anything more. Perhaps Daisy did something ridiculous again! She's more that experienced in that field. Maybe it wasn't even Daisy! Skye is pretty good at finding her own way into catastrophe and heaven forbid the two of them…"

"Of course, Jemma, blame the child…" Elena threw her arms in the air.

"Daisy is _not_ a child!" Jemma shot back.

"I was not…" Elena started then stopped as the laptop blipped to a blue screen and then to black with the cursor blinking in place.

"It's working!" Jemma smiled and bounced ever so slightly as each forgot their misplaced anger. She flexed her fingers over the home keys.

"I think," Elena spoke quickly as she grabbed one of Jemma's wrists. "Perhaps we let Daisy make the first move this time."

Jemma stared open mouth for a second before she smiled and nodded in agreement. Pulling back her hands she folded her arms across her midsection and joined Elena as they watched the screen for Daisy's greeting.

xx

"No, no, no Mack, no!" Fitz warned as the tall man pulled a finger thick wire from the long slit in the large yellow cable. "Not the green…teal, I said teal."

"Teal, green…who makes up this stuff?" Mack grumbled to himself as he tried to discern the colors in the dim light. He pushed aside blue, red and orange wires then brushed the perspiration from his forehead before moving pink and white aside as well. Mack moved each as if it were fine glassware and cringed every time, expecting the worst.

"There!" Fitz yelped as he pointed his small flashlight into the cable. "Right there," he strained to reach into the slit and snatch the bluish green wire that was matchstick thin.

The large man slapped his hand away. "Patience," he warned.

"There's no time for that." Fitz shot back. "Just get it down," he growled then shook his head. "Please"

Mack shook his head in frustration but carefully maneuvered the wire loose and exposed it free of the remaining wires. Fitz grinned then turned back to the panel he had been working on and flicked a few switches before pulling a similar colored wire through a small opening he'd created by removing a small section of the board.

"We need to strip the end of this and then splice into that." Fitz pointed from one to the other.

Mack gave a quick nod and began carefully snipping into the thick pliable plastic that covered the copper filaments within. He turned and watched as Fitz cut the wire he held and stripped the cover from the still connected end revealing the tiny metal hairs inside. He handed it to Mack then pulled more from the wall to be sure it would reach the cable above.

The large man took the wire and let out a soft breath before reaching to make the connection. Carefully he threaded the tiny hairs through the copper filaments then wrapped enough black electrical tape around the splice to hold it securely. Once the procedure was complete it he turned to Fitz and pursed his lips and nodded.

Fitz nodded and scraped a hand over his scraggily beard. "Now, all I have to do is throw this switch and…"

"We've got power." Mack finished for him, looking up at the job he had just completed.

Letting out a breath through puffed cheeks, Fitz nodded. "Or we blow what's left of this damn place into oblivion."

Mack started to nod then stopped. "And…what?"

Before he could finish the statement, Fitz threw the large metal switch and both men froze waiting for the consequences that would follow. Time seemed frozen as they stood staring up at the taped wires and waiting for the sparks that would precede the explosion. Instead they heard the soft hum of electricity as it slowly came to life and the soft lights of the power station blinked to life.

Mack's soft chuckle started deep in his chest then turned into a full laugh as he smacked Fitz on the back so hard it sent the smaller man toppling forward before he regained his balance. The younger man laughed nervously then joined Mack in a high five before laughing whole heartedly.

xx

The power in the computer room hummed softly for a second before the monitors sprang to life, flickering and blipping as they rebooted and ran through several diagnostics before strings of data ran across the screen in long lines of code then blinked to black for a few seconds before the green and orange circles reappeared.

Jemma and Elena watched, stupefied, until the process completed and the biometers blinked into functioning. Jemma noticed the one that had fallen to the floor was in fact working as well. She and Elena looked at each other and squealed with delight for a moment before composing themselves and feeling quite silly for acting like school girls.

Their glee was short lived as a rumble began slowly, shaking everything violently. Before either could react, the monitor closest to the end of the table crashed to the floor. Jemma grabbed the laptop and fell to the floor a second before Elena dove under the large metal table and pulled the younger woman behind her.

xx

Fitz and Mack packed the tools they used into the box after Mack added another layer of tape on his splice work, just to be sure. They secured as much as they could, hoping that any further tremors would not shake their work loose before Coulson and the others were safely back at the base. Hopefully, that would be very soon and they could get out before getting out might not be possible.

The rumble did not start slowly like all the others. This time it simply blast into the room, shaking the concrete that was loose and loosening even more. The tall electrical panels that stood mid-room shook until the bolts that held them to the floor rattled loose and they toppled forward. Mack pushed Fitz before the closest could fall on top of him then spun away before the second hit his arm and opened a large gash. Fitz rushed to protect their work, ignoring Mack's warning to stay put.

The ceiling shook with the power of the quake as it came down in chunks and pieces. The large cable slipped from where it hung and pulled the cord from the power grid taunt. Fitz jumped to the panel and yanked the cord hoping to pull enough to help it hold. He sighed with relief as the cable came to rest on the floor with the splice still intact. Another tremor knocked the young man from his feet, tossing him backward against the panels. He slid to the floor grasping the back of his head.

A moment later it was over as quickly as it had begun. Fitz let out a relieved breath and pulled his hand forward examining it for blood. He breathed again relieved to see it was clean. He smiled. The cable and the spliced wires were still connected and the lights still burned brightly. The young man pushed himself to his feet and brushed the debris from his clothing.

"Mack! Mack, it held. Bloody hell, Mack it's still working." He smiled as he made his way around the newly piled rocks and panels to where he had left the large man. "Mack?" He called as he peered through the silty fog. "Mack," Fitz called again as he moved carefully through the wreckage. His foot bumped what he hoped was not…

"MACK!"


	64. Something Right Turned Out So Wrong

**Chapter 64**

 **Something Right Turned Out So Wrong**

Jemma and Elena huddled together beneath the table as the room shook violently. Twice Elena sprang out to catch a vital piece of Fitz's equipment despite Jemma's warning not to risk her life for a machine. Both knew she was doing do to save the others and for now Fitz's program was the only thing that might do that. The young doctor cringed as two of the biometers crashed to the floor and broke into hundreds of small sparking pieces. Neither would affect the outcome of their team's return but they served as a connection to each. Jemma sighed as she turned toward the last monitor on the floor next to her. She'd grabbed it before ducking for cover. The small green LED lights still showed Coulson's name and bleeped with his vitals letting her know all was well. She hoped it was the same for May and Daisy.

As the vibrations faded and the room stilled, loose pieces of plaster dropped to the floor as ceiling blocks and chunks of concrete followed. The women remained in place until all became quiet and eerily still. The soft silt that had been falling in other areas of the base now wafted down like snow and covered everything.

"We have to protect the computers!" Jemma shouted as she scrambled to her feet.

Elena yanked her back and put a hand to her lips, listening for any hint that another shift might bring the entire room down on them. Jemma tried to pull away but was no match for the stronger woman.

"The dust will destroy the workings…the fans…the processors." Jemma tried explaining but still Elena held tightly for a few more seconds before releasing her.

The young doctor raced to the tower of electronics, brushing the silt from monitors and keyboards, amazed to see them still working despite the jarring they had taken. She rushed across the room and pulled sheets from the overturned gurneys then shook them before tossing them over the computer system. Satisfied she stepped back and smiled. Her relief was short lived when she turned to find Elena standing with her hands on her hips staring at the door, now blocked by several large chunks of concrete and rebars. Jemma stepped next to her, looked at the massive blockade and then back at Elena.

"Perhaps we can just push it away? It may just tumble with a bit of coaxing." She smiled weakly.

Elena frowned. "It was my first thought but it is not budging." She shook her head and looked around the room for something to leverage against the large rocks.

Jemma stepped closer to the concrete slabs and ran her fingertips against the rough side. She looked it up and down before giving a soft shove with one hand then tried again with both. She let out a small squeak of frustration and pushed with all of her strength but only succeeded in knocking a few bits of the large manmade rock free. The young woman stood back and drew a deep breath, let out a soft growl and tried again with the same results. Before she could make a third attempt, Elena put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's no use, Jemma. We do not have the strength." Elena shook her head.

Jemma let out a frustrated breath and shook her head as well. "Then we wait for Mack and Fitz to come back. They must be on their way." She slapped a hand against the blockage again. "They have to be."

"I hope they found safety." Elena breathed, more to herself than her friend.

xx

"Mack, Mack…" Fitz tried to keep the panic from his voice as he tossed aside baseball sized chunks of debris. He frantically brushed the dust from his friend's nose and mouth then rested his ear against Mack's chest praying for a heartbeat. A small shred of terror fell away at the slight thump he detected there. He pushed at the large piece of equipment across Mack's midsection, surprised when it moved slightly then tumbled to the side. Adrenaline he told himself…enough of it could let a frail woman lift an automobile off of her child. At least those were the stories he'd heard so many times. He didn't really care, the deed was done and Mack drew a deep breath to both their relief.

"Mack," the younger man whispered as he pulled off his light jacket and rolled it into a make shift pillow then placed it under his friend's head.

"Turbo," Mack's voice was hoarse and weak. He opened his eyes slowly and raised his hand to Fitz's shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine, but you…you…" Fitz stammered.

"I'm okay, Fitz." Mack coughed as he tried to sit up without success. "Just got the wind knocked out of me. Need a minute or two to…" He pushed himself up on both elbows and stared down at his legs buried under more rubble than Fitz could remove alone. He pulled one leg and then the other but could not budge either. He had to admit it hurt like hell, but was sure nothing was broken. He let out a small snort as Fitz dropped to sit next to him. "Looks like you'll need to make your way back up and bring back some help. I don't think we can get out of this alone."

Fitz rested his elbows on his bent knees and dropped his head into his hands. "Looks like we aren't getting out of this at all," he jerked a thumb toward the door that was now completed blocked by the large slab that had slipped over the portal...

Mack dropped back on the makeshift pillow with a pained 'ooff' then pulled his hand down over his scruffy chin. "We'll have to use the coms…" He stopped. The coms hadn't worked in weeks. There was no way to contact the rest of the team.

Fitz dropped his arms to the floor and looked up at the ceiling. "You don't suppose this was just as bad above, do you?"

Mack continued struggling to free his legs. "It was pretty bad, Turbo but I'm sure Simmons and Yoyo kept your computers safe."

"Actually, I was hoping they were safe…safer than we are anyway." Fitz sighed.

xx

Daisy stared at the laptop screen but her mind was still on Coulson's weird reaction to her telling him she suspected a problem. Normally he'd take her at her word and pull out all the stops to find the source, but he just told her it would be fine, like she was a…

"What's wrong?" Skye poked the older girl's shoulder. "Why don't you send something? What are you waiting for anyway?" She reached over Daisy's arm and tried to tap the keyboard.

"Hey!" Daisy growled, slapping the smaller hand away. "We just got this back. You want to screw it up again."

Skye pulled her hand back and massaged it with the other. She looked at Daisy with more hurt than the older girl could handle. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just wanted to help. You were like, daydreaming or something." She shrugged her shoulders minutely and scooted a few inches away.

Daisy let out a soft breath. "I…I'm sorry, kid. I just…things are just…something is not right." For a moment she drifted away in thought then quickly brought herself back and looked into the frightened eyes of the child beside her. She smiled and reached out to take Skye's hand. "I'm really sorry kid, I shouldn't have hit you." She waited for the child to respond but Skye simply stared with a look somewhere between remorse and anger.

"Okay, okay," Daisy huffed as she moved the laptop to the mattress and turned toward the little girl. "You wanna hit me back? Go head, take your best shot. I won't even try to stop you." She dropped her hands to her lap and sat perfectly still.

Skye simply stared.

"What? You want me to close my eyes? Fine," Daisy squeezed her eyes shut and waited, but nothing.

"Now who's being weird?" Skye giggled as Daisy peeked through her tight eye lids. She gave the older girl a shove that barely knocked her off balance. "You think that hurt? Hell, you never been through one of mom's spanks." She laughed again. "Have you?"

Daisy leaned forward and wobbled her head side to side, smiling, "wouldn't you like to know."

Before Skye could respond the computer bleeped twice and both jumped to view the screen. Daisy reached it first and pulled it onto her lap with Skye close to her side.

 _'Daisy'_ was all it said.

xx

"It must have worked out," Melinda noted. "She's here now." She nodded toward the staircase.

May shook her head. _'Not without sacrifice,'_ she thought. "There was an incident that changed everything…changed her and…we lost her."

Melinda sipped her tea and considered how someone could be lost and still right in front of you. She feared what Skye's teenage years would bring, knowing her headstrong offspring and how much she resented being given restrictions. Had that already happened with the grown version of her child?

"Things happen with kids," Melinda consoled her older self, but they grow and realize where they belong. "Sometimes they just need time to find themselves."

May smiled a thin smile and gave a slight nod. "The doctor who took her as an infant found her…filled her head with how he'd looked for her and how much she was like her mother and how she would change and we would no longer want her…that we…we'd fear her."

"Fear?" Melinda repeated then almost laughed.

"Coulson found them and was almost killed by that…that _damned_ monster. He had her so confused…so hysterical she couldn't…she wasn't ready… Damn, _I_ should have been there." May spoke through her teeth and slammed a fist on the table. "It would have ended right there and none of…" She drew a calming breath and lowered her voice. "None of it would have happened." May ended in a little more than a whisper.

"This?" Melinda set her finger tip on the table. "Here? Daisy being here?" She shook her head. "You discovering the truth?"

May stopped and stared into the amber liquid in the fine cup she held. She'd never spoken to anyone about this. She and Coulson simply wrote it off as a mission and filed it away. A thought that had left her without sleep on many nights ran through her mind despite her attempts to quell it. Skye…Daisy was inhuman, carried that inhuman gene…a gene passed through generations. When everyone believed Cal and Jiaying were her biological parents it was easy to assume the gene has passed from mother to daughter but once the truth was told it was anyone's guess how the girl had come by her legacy. She wondered if Coulson's ability to survive the TAHITI project was due to his genetic makeup but her martial arts abilities had always seemed more than human, even to her. Then again, maybe both of them held a touch of that gene and together passed it on to their daughter.

Had Phil and Melinda done the same? Were there powered people…inhumans…superheroes here in this universe? Did the Kree exist in this dimension? Were inhumans among the population?

How does one broach that subject without sounding like a lunatic? Right! Oh, by the way, my daughter has the seismic ability to shake the earth to its core.

Yep, that sounds just perfect.

xx

"Mack…" Fitz looked across the dimly lit area as he scrutinized the blockage of the doorway. He was concerned with the large man losing consciousness and tried to keep him involved in conversation. When he didn't answer Fitz hurried across the room and dropped to his knees next to his friend. "Mack," he tried again then place a hand on the man's chest and shook him gently. "Mack?" Fitz tried to keep the panic from his voice. He wasn't sure how long they had been trapped but it was certainly long enough for the girls to come looking. "MACK!" He shouted and shook harder.

The large man inhaled deeply and squeezed his eyes shut tightly before mumbling something Fitz did not understand before he cleared his throat and brought one arm up against his forehead. "S'okay, Turbo…just resting." He neglected to tell the younger man how the soft silt and warm room were making it difficult to breath.

Fitz stood and ran his hands through his hair, now frosted with the light silt making him look much older than his years. "It's been too long, Mack. They should have missed us by now. What if…"

"Don't," Mack almost ordered as he struggled to bring himself up on both elbows. "Don't go there. They're fine, just having trouble getting to us. I don't even know if they know where we are exactly."

Fitz eyed the area. "Jemma's been here before. We…we…"

Mack let out a coughy laugh. "Nuff said…" he smiled.

Fitz stared for a moment before it hit him. "No…no…you think…no, absolutely no…we were trying to…we…" Even after all they'd been through, Fitz still stammered over the thought of anyone knowing he and Simmons had become more than friends. They were adults and he knew everyone knew, but still it was their concern and one he did not care to share.

A soft rumble cut them short and both men froze waiting for what would happen. A few of the smaller pieces that held Mack in place shivered loose and tumbled across the cluttered floor. Fitz stood in place and watched as they skittered away like frightened animals. He let out a nervous laugh as the rumble subsided.

"Huh, a few more like that and it might just shake you free." He smiled at Mack who shook his head and lowered himself slowly back to the floor.

Fitz knelt again and started pushing away more of the debris that had shaken loose. "Mack…" he started.

"I'm fine." The man answered, "just closing my eyes because of this damn dust storm." Again he threw one arm over his face and tried breathing through his mouth, ignoring how dry it had become.

Fitz tossed a few smaller pieces of rock away from the pile that held Mack in place and shook his head. "No, Mack I…what if it's not the building's integrity causing all of this?"

Mack let out a huff. "I don't think there're a lot of earthquakes in this part of the world, Fitz." He laughed again and spoke from beneath his own arm. "With the exception of Tremors, but…"

"That's just it, Mack. What if it is Daisy?" Fitz asked just above a whisper as he looked away from Mack.

The large man lowered his arm and stared for moment. "She's not even here, Turbo. You know that."

"Right," Fitz agreed. "But what if…" he took a breath and collected the thoughts he'd been wrestling with since the room fell down around them. "What if her powers are? She says she doesn't have them in that other dimension…what if they're here and causing all of this because she isn't here to control them?"

"That's impossible…" Mack huffed.

"I'm not quite sure what is or isn't possible anymore." Fitz sighed as he pushed away the last of the loose rocks and crawled back to where Mack lay. "Better?"

Mack tried pulling his legs free without success but he did move them a bit more than he had the first time. "Little better," he smiled at Fitz.

Fitz sat with his knees pulled up in front of him. He could see the large man struggling to breathe. He felt it too. Whatever had shaken the room had left them with dim light but had somehow damaged the life support system. He did the math in his head.

At most they had a little more than two, possibly three hours of oxygen left.

xx

Phil led Coulson to the master bedroom, bringing a smile to the latter's face. He relished the days he spent here with May raising the child they had thought they'd lost. He remembered walking the floor with a screaming baby as she cut her first teeth and snuggling with a toddler who insisted the monster under her bed wanted to sleep there so she had to make room. Smiling inwardly he thought of the chilly winter mornings when that little imp crawled into bed between them just before sunrise and the three of them snuggled until the alarm sounded and the day began. He recalled the nights with his 'wife' and how they loved each other in a way they could not share in their roles at the Playground.

Phil made his way across the room and flipped a small light switch up like a door. He placed his thumb on a small pad and waited a few seconds for the sound of the lock releasing. He smiled back at Coulson and pulled open that door.

"Guess you had to change the lock." Coulson commented as he admired the technology.

Phil stopped gave a suspicious look. "How…" he paused as he recalled the circumstances in which the lock was changed. "Oh yeah, the sleep walking incident...you were here?"

"For some of it," Coulson smiled. "But it was Daisy, not Skye that did the breaking and entering, not to mention the hacking." Coulson wasn't sure if he was proud or angry at his daughter's abilities. As an agent it was an asset. As a ten year old, it was quite different.

Phil nodded. It was good to know that Skye had not been part of that incident. He considered asking about the sleep walking defense but decided he'd save it for a long discussion with both versions of his daughter. He stepped into the room and flipped on the light and revealed a system that rivaled the massive computer pile Fitz had Frankensteined back at the base. It was a lot smaller in order to fit in the room, but just as impressive. The most surprising was Phil seated in front of it and able to type his way around whatever he was looking to do. Coulson watched as several screens flipped by until Phil stopped at a spreadsheet that showed three columns of numbers. Phil ran a finger down the first column.

"Providence might be safe. It's pretty secluded in the Northern Outback." He suggested.

Coulson looked over his shoulder, so that was what they called Canada here. He pursed his lips and shook his head. "Compromised," he explained in one word.

"Damn," Phil sighed. "Probably one of the best, but we've got a few more…" He slid his finger further down the list. "Playground is pretty secure and not that far from here. I can show you around."

Again Coulson shook his head. "Afraid there's been an incident there, a small explosion and well…" He gave a shrug.

Phil shook his head. "What the hell are you people doing over there?" He turned back to the screen before Coulson could answer.

Coulson thought for a moment about sharing all that they had been doing, about traitors and Hydra and LMD's and framework and Watchdogs and Inhumans and losing so many people, but why air your dirty laundry. Phil probably had secrets of his own, things that he kept close to the vest, things that on a need to know basis, no one needed to know.

"This one," Phil tapped a string of numbers. "Tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula…looks like it's never been used, might be what you need right now." He jotted down coordinates and folded the small paper twice before slipping it to Coulson. "Not sure I can get transport there without some kind of permission and a lot of questions. Like I said, it looks like it's never been used."

Coulson gave a nod and tucked the paper into his shirt pocket.

xx

Skye stared at the laptop screen for a moment then looked back to Daisy. "Are you gonna answer?"

Daisy's finger's hovered over the home keys for a second before she tapped. _"Fitz…"_

Both girls waited and watched the cursor blinking on the black screen.

"I like the guy with the big head better," Skye huffed. "This is boring." She let herself drop back against the mattress slapping her hands on it as she did. "Who wants to look at a dumb black screen and a stupid blinky thing?"

"Cursor," Daisy corrected, still watching for a reply. It was taking too long. Something had to be wrong. She debated taking the laptop and tracking down Coulson, hoping he had shook off the tease he left her with a few minutes ago. At least she hoped he'd been teasing. She wasn't sure she could handle two catastrophes at once.

xx

Jemma nibbled the side of her nail, staring at the computer screen. Elena paced behind her, mumbling in Spanish under her breath.

"It wouldn't be wise to let them know what's happened," Jemma started, "at least not until we know for sure that Fitz and Mack are fine and we can get out of here." She glanced over her shoulder at the debris that covered the door.

"And perhaps if you _do_ tell them we can get Daisy back here and move all of this malditos escombros so we can get out of here!" Elena threw up her arms and dropped them to her sides with a loud smack.

"There is no need to shout, Yoyo." Jemma huffed. "And having Daisy use her own seismic abilities would more than likely bring what's left of the building down on all of us." She tried to keep the bite out of her voice.

Elena threw her arms up a second time and marched across the room cursing the situation in her native tongue. She stopped at the blockage and seriously considered whether she could rotate as fast as drill and just cut through the mess. Of course she had no idea how dense this debris was and had no intention of getting stuck inside in one heartbeat. She rested her palms on the cool rock then pulled them back quickly feeling the soft hum emanating from within. She stood back and stared then stepped to the side and rested her hand on the wall then bent and felt the floor before touching the stone again. There was no mistake. A soft vibration was coming from that stone that was not a part of the walls or the floor of the room.

"Jemma…" Elena called without turning around.

"I'm thinking, Yoyo. I don't want to say this the wrong way." Jemma shot back as she stared at the laptop screen.

"Jemma…" Elena repeated in the same tone this time reaching a hand behind her and motioning the younger woman to approach.

"I said…" Jemma exclaimed as she turned then noticed Elena beckoning her forward. She approached slowly and gasped as Elena grabbed her wrist and slapped her hand on the rock.

"Do you feel that?" Yoyo asked with wide eyes.

Jemma smiled. "Someone's out there." She whispered. "Someone's come to get us out. They must be drilling." She almost clapped her hands.

Elena did not share her look of excitement or relief. She shook her head. "There is no drill, Jemma and the vibration does not come from the wall or the floor…only the rock." She nodded toward the wall silently telling Jemma to see for herself.

Jemma slowly rested her hands on the wall and slid them closer to the door expecting to feel the same vibration and prove her friend wrong. She sighed when she felt nothing until she once again reached the debris that covered the exit. She turned slowly and looked at Elena for a moment before responding.

"It could be the harbinger of another tremor. We should prepare ourselves." It was a weak but desperate explanation that Elena did not accept.

The older woman shook her head. She pointed at the large piece of concrete in the center of the blockage. "That rock is vibrating or humming or…"

"Don't be ridiculous, Yoyo. Rock is inanimate. It cannot produce movement or sound without something or someone causing it." Jemma used science to quell her own fears more than provide reasoning.

Elena put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "Well, it is hopeful whatever is vibrating shakes this mess free."

Jemma had already turned away and was rapidly typing into the laptop's keyboard

xx

Daisy almost jumped as the script appeared on the screen. It was definitely much too wordy for Fitz who usually responded with a yes/no blip or in as few words as possible, leaving her to decipher exactly what he meant. This, adversely, was quite explicit.

"Damn," she mumbled under her breath as she read through the litany, waiting to reply.

Skye let out a soft huff and pushed herself up from the mattress bumping her shoulder against Daisy as she sat up. "If I can't say damn, then you…" She stopped, resting her cheek against Daisy's bicep as she read the message on the screen. "Damn," she repeated in a soft hush.

Daisy issued a soft elbow into the little girl's midsection, but did not turn from the screen. Skye snarled a bit but did not respond. Even she could see the urgency in the situation the people in Daisy's place were having. It sounded more scary that having a dumb bracelet stuck on your hand.

'How long?' Daisy typed after reading the report on the collapse of the hallway outside the computer room and the uncertainty of Mack and Fitz's condition or whereabouts. Her mind played several scenarios, none of which she cared to share.

 _'Yoyo and I have been trapped for almost thirty minutes. Fitz and Mack have been gone almost an hour.'_ _Jemma typed back_

'You've heard nothing?' Daisy typed rapidly.

 _'Coms are down and he isn't answering on this fine radio he created. We are worried. They were in the electronics bay and…'_

Daisy cut her off, responding before she could finish. 'That is the lowest part of the base, had a lot of damage. Why?'

 _'No power,'_ Jemma explained. _'Fitz said he had to correct it to bring all of you back safely.'_

"They're in a lot of trouble, huh?" Skye spoke close to Daisy's ear.

The older girl's head spun. No power? Were Jemma and Yoyo trapped in the dark? How much battery power did the laptop have left? Why wasn't anyone trying to get to them?

'Piper? Davis? Chen?' she typed furiously.

 _'Nothing from them. I believe they were in the hanger.' Jemma stopped. She hadn't thought that perhaps they too were trapped or worse. The explosion had occurred directly outside the hanger, despite the fact it was built to support the large transports they used it had been heavily damaged._

Daisy thought for a moment. They had to get back. She'd known for weeks that the bases integrity was failing. She and Mack had discussed the possibilities and the amount of time they had left. They had to find someplace else before it was too late and then she insisted on this…this excursion to say goodbye to her little self then dragged May and Coulson into it as well.

'You have to get us back, now.' She typed quickly, already planning to gather her parents and be ready to move.

The pause that followed twisted Daisy's gut. What if the equipment had been damaged? What if there was no way back? She held her hands over the keys and lifted the one over 'J'.

 _'I'm sorry, Daisy. I'm afraid I don't quite know enough about how that works. Fitz handled all of the moving about. I merely monitored vital statistics.'_

Again Daisy groaned inwardly. She'd never seen exactly what Fitz did or what combinations of code he typed in order to send her here. On the one occasion she 'traveled' independently, she'd simply hit the enter key after seeing his algorithm on the screen. There was no way she could recall of that data and even if she could it was for sending not retrieving. If she could access the large mainframe she might…no, she shook her head. She could definitely hack in and mimic his strokes, but there was no one there to link her to the large computer and she was pretty sure, Skye's little laptop did not have that kind of hardware or the power to accomplish such a task.

"The rocks are humming." Skye's voice brought her from her thoughts.

Turning toward the little girl, Daisy scrunched up her face in confusion. "What?" She almost spat.

Skye shrugged her shoulders and pointed to the screen. "A song?" she giggled, failing to see the urgency.

'Humming?' Daisy replied, hoping it was just a typo.

 _'Well, more of a buzz really, like someone has filled them with very angry bees.'_ She could almost here the light bit of nervous amusement in her friend's voice.

"Rocks don't hum," Skye shrugged, "or buzz. But, I saw this show once about a place that has singing rocks. It was…"

"I don't think it's the same thing." Daisy barked back, silencing the child with her serious tone.

"Sorry," Skye mumbled as she moved a bit away from her older self.

Daisy drew a deep breath and turned to the child. "Look kid, I'm sorry. It's…it's not you. Something's definitely wrong there and…" She closed her eyes for a second and tried to un-imagine the possibility that had chilled her to the core.

Skye watched and waited, suddenly just as frightened as Daisy looked. She swallowed hard and laid a hand on Daisy's arm. "Cuz of the shakes?" She asked timidly.

The older girl's eyes opened quickly. "Shakes?" she repeated.

Skye nodded. "I could feel them all over in your laying low place." At Daisy's confused expression she explained. "Dad said you weren't hiding just laying low for a little while. All over the whole place it was…" The little girl paused and thought about how to put her feelings into words. "Like Yéyé's thing for his sore feet, you can feel it moving but it doesn't make any noise. It makes your body feel like it's all buzzy if you put your hands on it." She smiled at her analogy. "It always feels like that there."

Daisy stared into the little girl's eyes for few seconds before uttering one word. "Damn"

She'd never felt anything like that at the burned out base, of course she didn't because it only happened when she wasn't there. The other's couldn't feel it either because…well, because they never felt it. She knew that feeling, the feeling of having a million bees humming inside your head, your heart...your every bit of all of you. She had no power here. Was it there, separate from her? Was it causing the base to collapse on her friends, to bury them under tons of rubble?

She grabbed the little girl's arms suddenly and pulled her forward, allowing the laptop to slip gently to the floor. "Why didn't you say anything?" She growled at the child.

"I…I…" Skye's eyes filled with fear as a tear ran over her cheek. "I didn't…I just thought it was s'posed to be like that there…I'm sorry." She ended with a sob.

Daisy loosened her grip. "Damn it! I'm sorry again kid, really. I didn't mean to scare you, it's just that...that no, it's not supposed to be there. Not without me and I don't know how or why it is, but I've got to get back and fix it."

Sniffling back her tears, Skye ran her forearm under her nose and gave a quick nod. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't know it was important."

Daisy pulled the laptop back in place and smiled. "It's okay, Skye." She put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I don't think we can fix this from here. I think it's time we let moms and dads know what's going on.

Skye nodded. "My daddy will know exactly how to fix this. He can fix anything."

"Absolutely," Daisy agreed as she tucked the laptop under one arm and stood. 'And two Coulson's are better than one.' She thought to herself.

xx

"There was an accident," May continued. "We lost a good agent and Sk…Daisy was…with him." She could not find the words to describe what had happened to the girl a few short years ago. "It changed her."

"Losing a teammate changes us all." Melinda sighed as she looked away definitely reliving some memory of her own loss. "Was she hurt?"

May shook her head. "It was a rough time. It took a lot from her and made her stronger at the same time."

"As it should be," Melinda agreed. "What we survive makes us strong."

May drew a breath and decided it would not be wise to go further with this. She nodded as she set her tea cup in the saucer. "She's come a long way." She smiled.

"Too long," Daisy interrupted as she set the laptop on the table and flipped it open facing May. "And I left something back at home that desperately needs me."

"Yeah," Skye agreed, hurrying to stand next to her mother, "her bees."

"Bees?" both mothers replied turning toward their respective daughters.

"Damn," Daisy and Skye replied, earning the younger girl a quick swat on the backside.

Skye turned toward her mother with both hands covering the target and an angry 'ow' face. Daisy glared at May. "Don't even…" she snarled softly then nodded toward the screen.

Melinda rose from the table and approached Daisy who slowly moved to the other side of May. She raised a finger at the older girl. "I've warned you about that language in this house and in front of Skye."

Daisy gave a weak smile and a quick nod.

"I won't warn you again." The two versions of May cautioned in unison. May barely looked up from her reading, as if she was not even aware of the bizarre reply.

"Hey, sweet pickle, come up with anything?" A duet of Coulson voices sounded as they entered the room and smiled at the girls.

Daisy and Skye exchanged wide eyed glances as they inched around the table to stand next to each other, then watched as both versions of Coulson laid a hand on their respective May's shoulder.

 _'Double damn!'_ they thought to one another.


	65. Chapter 65 - One -Two Many

**One – Two Many**

Small pebbles shivered out of the jumble of rocks that blocked the door to the computer room. They fell and bounced across the floor so innocently it was almost a pleasure to watch. Jemma almost smiled at the tiny plinks they made. The soft hum that hung in the air remained low and gentle, almost as if it were trying to lull the occupants into a false sense of safety when both knew at any moment it could grow into a ferocious growl and bring down the remainder of the shaky building.

"Huh," Jemma tried to make light of it as she pulled the laptop from the table and moved farther away from what was the door. "Perhaps it will just shake itself free."

Elena let out a snort and shook her head. "Perhaps it will turn to sand and fall away on its own."

Jemma smiled broadly, ignoring the older woman's sarcasm. "That would be splendid, then would it not?"

Elena rolled her eyes and pulled Jemma farther back as larger bits of rock began to quiver out of the pile and fall to the floor joining the still dancing pebbles. She could feel the soft vibration under her feet and said a silent prayer that the tremors were not more intensified on the lower levels.

xx

Mack coughed the dark silt from his throat and slowly eased his arm from his eyes. The constant filtering of soot gave the room an eerie dim fogginess. He blinked in an effort to clear his vision and tried not to draw any shaky breath that would alert Fitz to his actual condition. He'd lost the feeling in his legs a while ago. The pressure of the weight on them was probably cutting off the circulation. Even a non medical guy like Mack knew that could mean losing his limbs.

The man turned side to side trying to locate his younger friend. "Fitz!" he called as loudly as he could with his dry throat.

When Fitz did not reply, Mack pushed himself up and struggled with more effort to free himself, rocking side to side and watching as the smaller rocks tumbled to the floor. He glanced at the small pile that Fitz must have amassed in his effort to lessen the load.

"Fitz!" he called again, pushing back the rising panic. He had no idea how long he'd been out. Maybe Fitz was injured and hadn't told him. Maybe the young engineer was unconscious or… Mack pushed the thoughts away and called out again, louder with more force as he continued to rock, anger and desperation fueling his effort.

Fitz slid on the gravel that had collected on the floor as he hurried to round the large electrical panel that had tipped precariously close to Mack. He managed to squeeze between it and what was left of the wall to reach the panels behind. Most of the wiring had been frazzled and what was left was a tangled mess but he managed to make a few connections and felt the trickle of fresh air filter through the mostly blocked vents. He hoped Jemma and Yoyo were getting much more. He'd also located a tool kit that held two of those luminescent bars you shake then crack to create a bit of light. He'd used one to help see the mess of wiring, intending to give the other to Mack.

Now he waxed across the floor like a man scoring a winning home run. He scrambled to his hands and knees and hurried to Mack, terrified that the man had gotten worse.

"Mack, Mack…I'm here…I…I'm sorry…I…" he stammered as he pulled himself close to the larger man.

Mack let himself drop back, exhausted from his effort. He smiled as he reached out a hand and squeezed Fitz's should. "Scared me, Turbo…" he let out a small laugh.

Fitz laughed softly, not that anything was funny, but it was good to know his friend was okay. "I managed to get us a bit of fresh air and I found these." He held out the softly lit bar along with the still inactivated other and frowned. "I know it's not much…"

Mack coughed a bit and reached up to take the luminary but squeezed the younger man's hand instead. "That's great, Turbo. That's great."

Fitz could tell Mack's breathing was becoming labored. He worried his friend had not been completely honest with him. He worried that Jemma was also somewhere hurt or trapped and waiting for him to come to her aid. He worried that his computers had been destroyed along with any hope of getting Coulson, May and most of all Daisy back.

If the base was destroyed and his theory about Daisy's powers being abandoned here without her was true, what would happen if it was set loose on the world? He could not fathom what that might entail.

"There are some rather large pieces of metal behind this panel. I think with a bit of exertion I could get one out here and find a stone strong enough to create a fulcrum." Fitz spoke quickly. "I could lift some of the heavier bits and you might have enough room to free yourself."

Mack thought for a moment then turned to his friend and let out a soft sigh. "Even if you could drag one, big enough to lift this mess, out here I don't think you have enough weight to pull it off." Mack shook his head.

"Give me a place to stand, and I shall move the Earth with it." Fitz mumbled absently.

"Huh?" Mack turned toward the younger man.

Fitz snapped his fingers and pushed himself up from the floor. He took a few steps toward the tilted panel, tapping his temple and running through formulas in his head. He turned back and smiled at Mack, exclaiming, "The basic mathematical principles of the lever is that the distance from the fulcrum can be used to determine how the input and output forces relate to each other." The young man let out a laugh and slapped his hands against his thighs.

Mack narrowed his eyes and drew a breath. "Take it easy, Turbo…I think this whole deal is getting to you. Come here and sit, take a breath or two."

Fitz continued pacing, looking up to the ceiling then back down. He approached the mass atop Mack and studied it carefully then rested his hands on one of the larger rocks." He spun and examined the rocks that had fallen free as if searching for something. He moved from one to the other, rubbing his hands on them, giving each one a gentle push with his hand, then standing and shoving it a bit with the toe of his shoe.

"The mass on one end of the fulcrum times the distance from the fulcrum equals the mass on the opposite end of the fulcrum times the distance from the fulcrum!" Fitz clapped his hands and almost giggled as he clapped his hands. "Mack! The input force equals the output force. It's that simple…that simple."

For a moment Mack was sure Fitz had lost his mind. He watched as the younger man squeezed behind the tilted panel, still rambling on about how simple this was and why hadn't he thought of it before. It took a few seconds for him to clear his fuzzy silt clouded brain. He smiled then laughed out loud. Fitz was right, it was simple. Simple mechanics… Fitz didn't have to have super strength to move this mass, all he needed was math.

The mass on his end of that lever was about five hundred pounds of debris, the mass on the other end, Fitz's end could be just about anything, even the engineer's skinny arm. The placement of the fulcrum would give Fitz leverage. He'd only need to apply a small amount of power to gain a greater advantage. The young man was right, why hadn't they thought of it earlier?

xx

 _"We are in deep doo-doo, kid…"_ Daisy thought to her small counterpart.

Skye threw a hand over her mouth and giggled as if she'd been tickled. _"Doo-doo?"_ She thought-giggled back.

Daisy shot her a 'look'.

"Something funny?" Phil and Coulson asked in tandem.

Skye straightened up and moved closer to Daisy, shaking her head. "Nope, nothing…"

Daisy narrowed her eyes in warning then turned to Coulson. "I need to talk to you…" she watched as both versions of the man stepped toward her. "Just you…" she clarified holding out a hand toward Phil.

The man offered a silly smile and stepped back, holding up both hands as if in surrender.

 _"Keep your dad here."_ She thought to Skye who returned a quick nod. _"And don't touch that computer,"_ she added before leading Coulson from the kitchen.

Skye turned up one side of her mouth in a crooked pout then thought back, _"yeah, yeah, I know…but hurry Daisy._

This time Daisy gave a nod before turning and walking away with Coulson following.

xx

Daisy wasn't taking any chances. She needed to get Coulson as far away from Phil as possible. Going out in the still swirling snow that seemed to fall perpetually in this place was out of the question and the living room didn't seem far enough so she dragged him to the second floor and along the hallway to the room Nainai used when she visited. It was far away from pretty much anything else in the house.

Opening the door she pushed him inside and quickly looked up and down the hall before closing it and urging him to the far side of the room.

"What's going on, Daisy?" Coulson chuckled.

"There's nothing funny here, Coulson." Daisy poked her finger at him as she spoke through her teeth. "I had to get you away from your echo. The Tweedle Dee-Tweedle Dum routine was getting old and just a lit…no make that a _lot_ weird." She let out a frustrated whoosh of breath.

For a moment Coulson merely stared at the girl. He wasn't quite sure what she was talking about or why she was being so gritty when the situation really did not call for it. Watching his younger self enjoy the life he'd given up for…well for S.H.I.E.L.D. gave him a feeling of satisfaction he'd rarely felt. Knowing that Phil shared that life with May…or Melinda, here…and little Skye was even more satisfying. He couldn't help smiling.

"Coulson!" Daisy growled as she stomped a foot. "This is serious!" She was about to lose it completely but noticed the change in his expression as his brow furrowed and his lips were set in a thin line.

"That's enough, Daisy." He warned in a voice she'd heard only a few times…twice actually. The first time was when he…well actually it was May…caught her with Miles and the second time was when she almost accused him of covering up information they needed. This was even more threatening. She merely stood and stared at him. "Lose the attitude or things will get a little uncomfortable." He used a familiar threat and for split second she wondered just what he considered uncomfortable.

Daisy's jaw dropped. She blinked a few times then stepped back and shook her head before taking a breath and trying again. She bit back the urge to remind him she wasn't the ten year old they'd left in the kitchen and he wasn't…well, yeah he was her father…but… She shook her head again.

"Coulson," she lowered her voice and reigned in her anxiety. "We have a problem."

"And it's going to get a lot worse if you don't…don't…if you don't…" Coulson stopped and dropped the finger he had pointed at the girl, raised his hand to his forehead and wobbled a bit before teetering backward.

Daisy grabbed his arm and helped him sit on the edge of the bed. "Coulson," she breathed, "are you alright?"

The man leaned forward with his head in his hands for a few moments before rubbing his eyes and sitting back. He drew a deep breath. Recalling his trip with Phil to the small computer room he tried to make sense of the fuzzy memory that followed. It wasn't like he didn't know everything they'd discussed or that they'd gone to the kitchen and greeting their daughter… _daughters_ …daughters…yes, _two_ of them. He remembered speaking to Daisy, but he also remembered speaking to Skye. He pictured exactly where Daisy stood and at the same time he saw Skye through Phil's eyes.

Suddenly Coulson felt ill…violently ill… He stood and pushed Daisy away as she stood next to him then hurried into the small bathroom visible through a half opened door. Slamming it shut before Daisy could follow he dropped to the floor in front of the bowl just in time.

Daisy shook the knob but the door was locked. She pulled and pushed it, considering a quick kick that would certainly take it off its hinges. The sound of a flush followed a few seconds later by another stopped her.

"Coulson? Coulson?" She called as she jiggled the door again. If he didn't answer in two minutes she was taking down this damn door.

Stepping back and drawing a deep breath, Daisy prepared to blast the door. A second later, Coulson stepped out. He drew a cool washrag across his face twice before turning and tossing it back into the bathroom.

"Coulson," Daisy breathed as she grabbed his upper arm and led him back to sit on the bed.

The man massaged his temples and swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, Daisy. I…it…What the _hell_ is going on?" He dropped his hand to his knee and turned toward the girl.

Daisy paused for a moment, looking into Coulson's eyes…her Coulson…just her Coulson. "I'm not sure but it's like you and Phil were melding." She slid her fingers in and out, holding her hands in front of her. "I think it's getting to May too."

Coulson stood and headed for the door.

"Wait, Coulson! Wait!" she stood and called after him. He turned as he set his hand on the door knob.

"There's more," she breathed.

Coulson threw up his arm. "Of course there is, damn it why can't anything ever be simple?" He took a few steps toward her and folded his arms over his chest.

Daisy almost laughed as a smile tickled the corners of her mouth. "Something's wrong back at the base."

He just looked at her, the way he did when he just expected her, or anyone else, to just spill it. She filled him in with what she knew. There'd been some sort of collapse at the base. Jemma and Yoyo were trapped and had no idea what happened to Fitz and Mack who'd gone to try to restart the power.

"There's no power?" Coulson was concerned with the operation of life support as well as getting back in one piece.

Daisy shook her head. "Jemma says it's working for now, but flickering. She can't contact Fitz." She stopped there, unsure about how to tell him the rest.

"We should have gotten out of there months ago." Coulson wagged his head. "That place is shaky at best. One good sneeze and…"

"It's not the base's integrity, Coulson. It's _me_." She slapped a hand on her chest and drew a deep breath. "Me… _I'm_ doing it." The guilt in the girl's voice was something he hadn't heard in years.

Drawing his brows together Coulson struggled to make sense of the situation. "Don't be ridiculous, you're not even there."

The look on Daisy's face was etched in remorse for something he was sure she had not done and yet he could almost feel her pain. He stepped toward her. She stepped back.

"That's right," Daisy nodded, curling her hand into a tight fist and thumping it against her chest. "I'm doing it because I'm _not_ there…because I'm _here_!" She pointed to the floor with the opposite hand.

Coulson wrinkled his brow even further and stared at the young girl for a moment. Had all this flip flopping back and forth between…whatever the hell they'd been sailing around have somehow affected her mind? He had to admit he was feeling a little woozy, not to mention nauseated and he'd only done it, as himself, once. All the other times he'd visited this alternate universe; he'd just popped into his younger body and went through the motions. Daisy had been in and out as her self since the beginning. Maybe it was getting to her.

"Daisy," he spoke softly as he reached forward and took the girl's arm despite her trying to pull away. "You know the base was damaged. You know we can't stay there. It isn't safe. We've all known it for months, but…"

"But you stayed because of me," her voice cracked. "Because of all this," she spread her free arm wide, "and me…because of me want…"

"Hold it right there," Coulson's voice grew stern and paternal. "We did this for _us_ … _all of us_ , not just you. We all missed out on this life." He glanced around the room quickly, drew a breath and spoke softly once more. "And I'd do it again in a heartbeat, Daisy. I'd do it again to get back all those years."

She blinked back the tears she'd been fighting. This was no time to get all mushy. The team…her family was in trouble and somehow it was her fault. Her powers were somehow acting on their own, out of control, out of…out of _her_. Daisy had thought of those powers as a part of her, dormant for so long then freed by Terragenesis. But what if…and the thought made her feel a little sick…what if they were sentient. What if they existed as a separate entity? What if she were merely a host for it? What if she was all that kept it from consuming everything…what if…

Daisy shook off the thoughts, crazy thoughts. Her crazy mother…no not her mother…just that crazy woman told her the powers were her…all her. But what if…no Lincoln…Lincoln told her the same. He taught her to be one with them.

She'd wondered what happened to them when she was here. Why they didn't work? But in the Framework they didn't work at first. She had to go through the process again, the second time without the fear of the first. She got them back…full force and controlled in one step. When they returned to the base everything was normal again…or was it?

"Daisy!" Coulson shook her hard, with both hands on her upper arms.

She quickly grabbed his, "Coulson," she answered free from the revelry that had possessed her. "Coulson, it's true. I've got no powers here and they don't just disappear. I think they're back at the base. They are what's shaking the place apart. We have to get back. We have to stop it before Fitz and…"

Coulson thought for a moment. The whole thing seemed preposterous, but he'd seen too much in the last decade to doubt pretty much anything. From flying cars to big green angry monsters to friends turned traitor and a computer generated world created by a crazy LMD turned human in some Pinocchio horror story…he'd seen enough to know Daisy was not just rambling.

"May," he stopped her. "You said I was melding into Phil and May is doing the same."

Daisy gave a quick nod.

"Before we do anything we've got to stop this and get her out of there." He headed for the door a second time.

"NO," Daisy grabbed his arm. "As soon as you are close to them, you'll just get all…all blended together again. I'll go. You stay put." She'd already tugged him back and twisted the doorknob. She stepped into the hall and pulled the door shut but not before motioning again for Coulson to stay right where he was.

xx

Daisy stepped into the kitchen and cringed as both versions of Melinda May asked what was keeping Phil. Yep, May called him Phil. Daisy was sure she did, but never in public or within earshot of anyone on the team. Phil, himself, seemed a little wonky. He was seated at the table staring into one cup of coffee with a second cup a few inches away. He barely noticed her arrival.

 _"We gotta get my mom out of here,"_ Daisy thought to Skye.

 _"No kidding,"_ Skye glared back. _"I just got a double swat for telling them they were acting like morons."_

Daisy rolled her eyes. _"Why would you…never mind…just play along okay?"_

Skye rubbed both hands up and down on the seat of her jeans and nodded, _"absolutely."_

 _"Once I get her out of here, your mom and dad might start acting a little sick. They'll be okay and I'll be back as fast as I can."_ Daisy explained then held up a hand to stop Skye from asking any questions. _"Don't worry, it will be okay."_ She gave a small smile and indistinct nod before reaching for the laptop that was still open on the table.

A quick look told her there'd been no new messages. She closed it with a soft click and tucked it under one arm then turned to May.

"May…Coulson needs to see us in private. He's got some information from Fitz he wants to share. Maybe I can borrow you for a couple minutes?" Daisy could not believe how lame that sounded and refused to look at Skye since she could almost hear the kid's eyes rolling.

"He can wait until I finish this tea." May and Melinda answered before taking the exact same sip from their dainty cups.

Skye giggled. _"It gets better."_ She snigger-thought to Daisy, _"watch."_

Before Daisy could think back the little girl skipped to the kitchen counter and pulled out a bag of cookies. Daisy recognized the name on the label.

"I'm hungry, mommy. I'm going to have some cookies." Skye teased, shaking the bag a bit.

"Not right now, Skye." The mommy twins warned. "You'll ruin your supper."

Skye feigned her best pout and threw, yes threw the bag across the counter drawing the evil eye from both mothers.

"Enough with the attitude, Skye," they warned.

Skye could not help the giggle that escaped her, even with a hand thrown over her mouth. Daisy rolled her eyes again. At this rate she was going to make herself dizzy.

"I fail to see the humor," both mother's had stood with arms across their chests.

"May," Daisy interrupted before the situation got out of hand. "Coulson really needs us." She gently took May's elbow and tugged her toward the stairs.

Skye skirted around the table and stood next to her father who had said nothing throughout the crazy conversation. "Mommy, daddy doesn't look so good." She frowned then looked up at Melinda.

That was it! Melinda's concern for Phil broke just enough of the connection for Daisy to tug May out of the kitchen and practically push her up the stairs. She noticed Melinda drop into the chair next to Phil before she followed.

xx

May's reaction to Daisy explanation was pretty much the same as Coulson's. They waited for her to return from the small guest bathroom and then explained the catastrophe at the base.

"That's ridiculous," May scoffed.

"Like you being paired with your younger model downstairs?" Daisy sighed.

May shook her head. "Then we have to get back, now." It seemed like a no-brainer.

"Except Jemma doesn't know how to get us there and Fitz is gawd knows where!" Daisy threw up her arms in frustration before dropping on to the bed and flipping open the laptop.

The screen blipped blue then turned to black with that damn little cursor blinking happily at the top.

'Jemma?' she typed quickly.

'Still here,' came back a few seconds later. Daisy's smile turned to a frown when it was followed by 'no change'.

'Coulson and May are having side effects by being here like this.' She typed rapidly before either parent could protest.

'Side effects?' Jemma typed back and Daisy could envision the look of concern on the young doctor's face. 'Be specific,' she demanded in her polite manner.

'Hard to explain,' Daisy typed. 'They're kind of connected to their counterparts here.'

'All of you should be,' Jemma returned and Daisy could now hear the 'duh' in her voice. She snorted once before continuing.

'A little more for them…they're saying the same things at the same time…and seeing what each other sees.' She added the last bit at Coulson's urging. It was something new. He hadn't told her that before.

They waited for Jemma's return. It took longer and Daisy feared the power had gone on the laptop on their end. If that happened they'd have no way to communicate and…she didn't want to think about the and part. They could not stay here. For all she knew Coulson and May would be absorbed into their alternate selves, never to be separated. She needed Fitz.

And Fitz needed her.


	66. 66 This Whole Thing is Gettin' Me Down

**Chapter 66**

 **This Whole Thing is Getting' Me Down**

A sudden frantic, yet light tapping at the door halted the conversation. The room fell silent as the occupants exchanged glances then turned toward the sound as it came again, just a bit louder.

"Daisy," Skye's whisper told she spoke close to the door's frame as she lightly tapped again. "Daisy?" The girl's voice sounded desperate.

Daisy glanced quickly at Coulson, who nodded as she rose and hurried to the sound of the knocking. Pulling the door open just enough to pull the child inside, Daisy let out a huff as Skye almost fell into her arms.

"Daisy," the little girl almost sobbed. "Something's wrong, real wrong. Mommy and daddy are real weird." She stopped and drew a quick breath as she dug her nails into Daisy's arms that held her from slipping to the floor. "They won't even talk to me. They just look…" She opened her eyes wide and stared ahead with a blank expression. "You gotta come!" She tugged Daisy toward the door. "Please," she begged.

May moved quickly to the girl's side. Something about this kid brought out something in her she had a hard time recognizing. Only Daisy evoked the same feeling. She stepped between her 'daughters' and took Skye's hand. "It's okay, Skye. Things are just a little…" She paused unsure for a moment.

"I think the word you're looking for is 'weird'." Daisy sighed.

May rolled her eyes and wrapped an arm around the smaller girl. "We think our being here is causing your parents…"

"And mine," Daisy added, then cringed a bit at May's sneer.

"It's making all of us feel a little strange." Coulson continued as he stepped next to Daisy.

Skye blinked tears from her lashes and swiped a finger under her nose. "Yeah, but you're not actin' all zombie and…and…"

 _'Weird,'_ Daisy thought.

"Yeah, weird," Skye nodded toward the smaller girl.

May looked from one girl to the other. "Stop it," she commanded, mostly to Daisy as she hugged Skye closer.

Daisy pulled a 'who me?' look as she pointed to herself. May raised an eyebrow and the older girl let out a frustrated breath.

"Okay," Coulson's voice of reason spoke. He smiled at the little girl as he looked to May the continued. "How 'bout you come sit here with us and we'll figure this out." He motioned for his partner to help Skye relax.

May took the hint and urged Skye toward the bed but the little girl resisted. "No, what about my mom and dad?" She pulled away and turned toward May. "You _gotta_ help them!" She rolled her small hands into fists at her sides.

"I'll go," Daisy sighed as she stepped toward the door.

"NO," Coulson and May spoke together as May pushed the smaller version of her child behind her.

"No," Coulson repeated, holding up one hand.

"It's okay, Coulson." Daisy argued. "This doesn't affect me, remember. I've been in and out all this time and I," she looked at the child who was peeking around May. "We…we aren't affected. We never were." She shrugged at the lack of explanation.

Coulson shook his head.

"She's right," May commented as she stepped closer, with Skye in tow. "It doesn't affect either of them."

Coulson moved from where he had stepped to block the door. He eyed Daisy for a moment. "You be careful and out of there if anything…"

Daisy shook her head and let out a snort. "You're being too much dad. I think this place is really getting to you." She would have laughed if the situation had been any different. Instead she gave a quick nod and slipped from the room.

xx

Daisy felt the change before reaching the bottom of the stairs. She drew a breath and suddenly it struck her…hollow…it felt hollow. She knew the feeling. She'd experienced it many times and for some reason just walking down those stairs brought it back. Christmas morning…she knew…all the kids knew because they'd seen it in movies, on TV and heard other kids talking about it. Kids ran down the stairs of their homes into a world of twinkling lights and mounds of brightly wrapped packages holding all kinds of treasures. Moms and dads full of smiles and hugs and the whole family huddling around each other in the joy that waited for them. Daisy felt her little Mary Sue self yearning for that feeling and at the same time knowing there would be little if any waiting in the common room of St. Agnes. There would only be the hollow echo of footsteps on the bare wood floor. There was no feeling, not even sadness…just empty…just hollow nothingness.

Daisy stopped at the bottom of the stairs attempting to shake of the strange but familiar feeling. She walked slowly into the kitchen, watching the couple seated at the table there. Phil and Melinda sat facing each other, but looking into their separate cups. Phil slowly stirred the spoon in his coffee, gentling tinking it against the sides in a plinkity-plink rhythm. Melinda held the dainty handle of her cup and tapped the end of her finger against its side. To anyone else it would seem they were both deep in thought. But Daisy knew better…she could feel the change…see it…even breathe it.

The colors in the room seemed dull, muted as if they were tainted with some sort of grey fog. The pancakes that had been part of breakfast and always left a sweet aroma of maple syrup now smelled old and stale. For a moment she felt as if this world was melting or perhaps slowing to a stop.

Daisy carefully pulled out a chair and slid into it. She reached out with both arms and drummed her fingers on the table hoping to garner the attention of the two adult seated on either side, neither reacted as they continued absently studying their drinks. Daisy could not really see either of their faces but both looked a little paler than she remembered. May…or Melinda was not one for overdoing the make-up but right now it seemed as if the color of her lips was not much different than the rest of her face. Phil was kind of always a little pale so it was hard to tell.

Daisy tapped the table a little harder.

Still no response.

She let out a soft breath and shrugged, "oh well, whatever it takes…" She knocked on the table with the knuckles of both fists. At first the knocking was just random…one knock, two…knock, knock. "Come on," she let out a frustrated groan. Adding a little flair to her performance, Daisy tried a combination of slap, tap, knock building her drumming into a pattern and then throwing in a little vocal score as well. She wasn't really sure what she was hoping for but in her experience most parents weren't really fond of that kind of noise at the dinner table…or lunch…or whatever the hell meal time it might be. She felt a little bit of hope when May drew a deeper breath than she had in the last few minutes but that was it.

The young girl let out a fluttery breath over her lips and plunked her arms over her chest. "You know," she let out a small chuckle. "There are a lot of kids that would be thrilled to have parents that just…well, that don't get all bent out of shape over noise." She looked from one to the other and let out a breath as she glanced out the window at the still falling snow.

Daisy drew a deep breath and shook her head. "Not me…and not you…you guys would never let me…Skye get away with it." She laughed again. "Skye's a good kid." She looked over her shoulder toward the stairs then down at her fingers that were now folded in front of her. "I wasn't." She smiled barely above a whisper.

"I needed parents like you." Daisy continued speaking to her fingers, not daring to look up at the people who weren't listening. "I needed someone to make sure I knew right from wrong," she let out a soft snort, "someone to kick my ass when I stepped out of line."

The plink of Phil's spoon stopped. This time it was Daisy who did not notice.

"Life really stinks, ya know. Knocks you around and takes and takes and takes…but not here. You guys just hold on, no matter what. I've seen it…felt it when Skye…when we shared you…us." Dasiy shook her head and shrugged again. "It's hard to explain…just…I needed to see how it would be to have you…them." She stopped for a moment and swallowed hard. "I guess nothing changed, huh? I still screwed up everything. This whole mess…here…back…back there…home…it's all me…all my fault."

Daisy shook her head and wiped away an errant tear, not even sure why she was crying or rambling on about such stupid nonsense that no one could fix. No one could fix any of this. No one could fix the fact that some crazy woman with an even crazier husband had kidnapped her. No one could fix May's broken heart or Coulson's soul that ached for the child they lost. No one could take away all the empty years she grew up alone or made life a nightmare for everyone around her. All the time she spent here with Skye and all of the experiences they shared could not make up for all she lost. Coulson was right, she had the memories of both lives but there was no way to erase one and keep the other. None of this made it better. She'd only made it worse.

Everyone that meant anything to her…everyone was in danger and she could do nothing to help them. If the worst happened…if her powers destroyed them, there would be no way back. They couldn't stay here, not like this. Together she wasn't sure what would happen to Phil and Melinda and May and Coulson or vice versa. If something happened to Skye's parents…Daisy squeezed her eyes closed. She couldn't imagine Skye growing up the way she had.

"I need to fix this." Daisy whispered more to herself than to Skye's parents. "I'm so sorry." Her voice cracked despite her attempt to keep it low.

"Nothing is ever that bad, baobei," Melinda's voice was soft and close, almost startling Daisy as she wrapped her hand around the girl's. Daisy shivered at the cold.

She looked up at Melinda standing next to her and wondered why she hadn't seen her…heard her move from the spot she'd been anchored to for so long.

"We'll find the answers, sweet pickle." Phil assured her as he patted her opposite hand.

Daisy opened her mouth to speak but didn't get the chance as Melinda wrapped her in a tight hug.

"It will be okay, Skye." Melinda comforted as she tipped her head to touch Daisy's temple. "It's not the first time and it won't be the last." She whispered close to the girl's ear as she rubbed her hand in circles on her back.

For a moment Daisy relaxed in the comfort of a mother's concern…not her mother, but well, yes her mother. She almost let go and eased into it when it hit her.

"Sk…first time? What?" She pulled away from Melinda and stared into her startled expression.

Phil shook his head and smiled at the scrap of yellow paper he held in one hand. "Got my share of notes from the teacher when I was your age…"

Daisy scrunched up her face and let out a strangled snort as she grabbed the paper from him. "What the hell!? Where did….DAMN!" She spun on Melinda and reached back to rub the sudden sting off her posterior but not before two more followed, each with more force that its predecessor.

Melinda's finger was leveled at her nose. "I warned you about that language, Skye. And that is no way to speak to your father!"

"D…d…don't do that," Daisy squeaked out, suppressing the urge to use much less acceptable language. She shook the paper with one hand and rubbed her backside with the other.

"Okay, okay," Phil's voice interrupted before Melinda could respond, "let's trying talking this out before we jump to any conclusions." He took Daisy's shoulders and drove her to the nearest chair, pushing her to sit.

Daisy glanced at the small paper in her hand. She flipped it over and stared then flipped it back. Blank, the damn thing was blank. What the hell? She pulled her lips together to avoid letting her thoughts slip out. Thoughts… They'd never done it this far apart but…oh hell, it couldn't get any worse.

 _'Skye!'_ Daisy wondered if it were possible to bark a thought. _'What the hell did you do?'_

She waited for a few seconds, angry at the fact that the kid couldn't hear her thoughts through the makings of the house.

 _'Geesh, not so loud. Yer gonna burst my ears!'_ Skye shot back.

Daisy tried not to growl. _'I'm not talking to your ears…I'm thinking to your head!'_

 _'Well, my ears are on my head and you think too loud,'_ the girl grumbled.

Daisy fought the urge to roll her eyes and give Melinda any ideas about nasty attitudes. At the same time she could fully understand the woman's penchant for smacking the kid's backside. Damn, what an attitude.

"Do you have anything to say about this?" Melinda nodded toward the non existent note in Daisy's hand.

The girl looked at it again, hoping whatever was there would appear. She opened her mouth then shut it before shaking her head.

 _'What kind of trouble are you in, kid? What's this note all about?'_ Daisy demanded.

 _'What note?'_ Skye squeaked.

Daisy peered at the note again, pretending to be giving it deep thought. She could feel Phil and Melinda glaring at her. 'Some note from your teacher…'

 _'I didn't get any note. I haven't even been in school.'_ Skye sounded just as confused as Daisy felt.

Daisy thought for a moment. Skye was right. They'd been sick and then there was all that mix up with flipping back and forth and all this blasted snow. Skye hadn't been to school in weeks. So what the hell was up with this note. She looked at it again…just as blank. She looked up at the younger versions of her parents and smiled.

"I think we need to start over." Daisy took a deep breath. "I'm Daisy, not Skye and my parents are…" She paused for a moment not quite sure if taking a chance on them dashing up the stairs and starting the mind meld all over. "They are busy…elsewhere at the moment. Remember we all met here…right here," she tapped the table with one finger.

For a moment Melinda just stared then her eyes narrowed and that one brow went up as she drew a breath and crossed her arms over her chest. Daisy knew that look. Phil spoke before his wife could let out the fury she was attempting to contain.

"Skye," his voice was more firm than usual. "You can't make this go away by starting all that nonsense again. Your mother and I have talked to you about it several times. You need to take responsibility for your own actions. You can't blame some imaginary friend for your problems."

"Did you or did you not do what that note says?" Melinda's voice interrupted. She was beyond firm.

Okay, Daisy thought to herself. This is beyond weird.

"Skye!" Melinda's bark caused her to jump. "I am waiting for an answer."

 _'Skye, did you ever get a note sent home….ever for anything?'_ Daisy quickly thought to the child upstairs.

 _'Na ah, not even once. Really, never ever.'_ Skye thought back just as quickly _._

"Skye?" Phil was losing his patience as well.

Daisy looked at the blank paper and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know…"

Melinda snatched the paper from her. She glared at it then looked up at the girl. "You don't know if you put a rodent in Sr. Anthony's desk drawer?" Melinda was close to livid.

Daisy's mouth dropped open as she snatched back the paper and stared at its still blank surface. "Sr. Anthony," she repeated just above a whisper.

"Did you or did you not take that mouse out of its cage again and put it in the teacher's desk?" Melinda barked.

Daisy almost laughed. She remembered the incident. Yes, yes she did. She did it on a dare because no one else would. She spread peanut butter on an plastic spoon and stuck the little critter in the desk drawer right after lunch. No one knew Sr. Anthony could scream that loud and she knew immediately who was guilty. She caught the little critter before it got away and put it back but ended up in detention for a week for her effort.

It would have been a funny memory…if it wasn't Phil and Melinda demanding an explanation. Damn things were really tangled. How would they even know about something that happened fifteen year ago in another dimension…a world away?

Did she do this too? Were they in some sort of stasis when she walked into the muted kitchen? Did her memories flick the switch and turn them back on…on where her life intersected with theirs…where they actually became her parents? Oh that was just too, too much. This was too ridiculous to be real.

"Skye?" Melinda's voice was past warning and close to threatening.

Daisy pushed the chair from the table and stood. "I think I need to think about it…" She took two steps backward. "In my room, for a while and then….then we can discuss it…later…" She turned and headed toward the stairs before either parent responded.

At the base of the stairs she quickly looked back to find them once again seated across from each other, staring into nothingness.

She drew a breath and hurried up the steps.

xx

Fitz pulled, dragged and yanked the strongest beam he could find from the rubble and piled stones up and down until he was convinced the fulcrum he created was the perfect size. He argued with Mack as he placed the stones and used every ounce of his strength to push the massive beam into place.

"You need to take a break, Turbo." Mack urged for what seemed like the thousandth time. "It won't matter how perfect it is if you're exhausted and can't even manage a push."

Fitz rubbed the soot from his eyes and brushed his hands across his trousers. He stepped from one side to the other, bent low and then stood on tip toe before placing his hands on his hips and drawing a deep breath that drew a dusty dry cough. He rubbed his hands together, ignoring the blisters that had formed from her efforts. He slowly made his way back to Mack and dropped to the floor close to his head.

"I think…" he staggered his words along with his breathing. "I think…its just right…with…a little…force…" Another cough interrupted him and caused him to draw several breaths before he could continue.

"Take it easy, Fitz." Mack breathed, reaching out a hand to pat the younger man's shoulder.

Fitz started to rise but was pulled back by Mack's grip. "Just a wee bit of force and I'll have you free." He whispered, dropping back to the floor.

"Couple more minutes won't make much difference." Mack tried to sound positive. He wasn't sure he could move, even if Fitz managed the impossible. The large man almost laughed. That's what Fitz did, the impossible. He survived almost drowning, recovered from immeasurable mental damage, built Colson a new hand, escaped from Hell Dimension and so much more. Mack couldn't imagine anything the young man couldn't do. Hell, he'd probably save the world some day.

But it had been a while since Mack had any feeling in his legs. The pressure was intense and even if Fitz freed him he wasn't sure he could walk or do anything to help get them out of the mess they were in. He didn't want to think about the fact that the upper levels of the base had fallen down on them taking Yoyo and Jemma along with them. He couldn't imagine having to recover their broken bodies.

Fitz's head drooped in exhaustion and Mack hoped he'd dozed off. A little sleep would do wonders for both of them, but the younger man shook it off and stood. He rubbed his hands together, ignoring the pain of every blister he'd earned then reached up to grab the beam he had strategically placed.

"I won't be able to help you Mack. You'll need to pull yourself free as quickly as you can before I release the beam. A second crushing blow will do much more damage." Fitz nodded in explanation.

Mack shook his head. There was no arguing with Fitz. If they were going to do this, now was the time. He merely nodded and pushed himself up on his elbows. There was very little room to move and nothing to brace himself with. He drew a deep breath and looked to Fitz.

"On three?" the younger man questioned.

"On three," Mack nodded.

Fitz pursed his lips and gave a nod. He drew a deep breath and wrapped both hands around the ends of the beam.

"THREE!" Fitz shouted and pulled with every ounce of his strength.

The beam shook once then moved down emitting cracks and snaps that were not promising, but the rocks moved, the slab moved and Mack let out a growling yell as the blood rushed back into his limbs feeling like a swarm of fire ants devouring his skin from his bones.

Fitz yelled as well, feeling the muscles in both arms pulled to their limit. "Now, Mack…do it now…" he almost begged, knowing he could not hold much longer. His body twisted as he struggled to hold on, giving his large friend more time. Fitz felt the blisters on both hands snap and the fluid within turn his grip slippery. The beam slowly slipped from his grip, taking the broken skin with it.

The rock, slab and beam that snapped with the pressure fell to the floor with a bang that rivaled its original drop. Fitz fell as well, scrambling to his knees and stuffing both burning hands under the opposite arm. He spun around to check on Mack but found the space empty.

"Mack!" He tried not to scream, not to sound as terrified as he felt. "Mack!" He bellowed again.

The young man slid across the rubble on his knees, blinking tears from his eyes. The soot and ash on his lashes caused a burning sensation he tried to wipe away frantically swiping his eyes on either shoulder. The younger man could barely see. He stopped as a large hand fell on his shoulder.

"I'm here, Turbo. I'm good." Mack breathed, pulling the younger man into a bear hug. "You did it, Fitz." He patted the younger man's back. "You did it."

They both took a few minutes to breath, to come down from the adrenaline rush.

"You good?" Fitz breathed as they fell back and visually examined each other for injury.

"Your hands," Mack sighed at the same time.

Fitz pulled his hands free and looked at them. They were bloodied and raw, but he'd survived worse. "I'll be fine." He shook them a few times before stuffing them back under his arms. "Your legs?" He countered.

Mack was on his knees. He rubbed both hands up and down on his thighs. "Feel like hot jelly, but I think I can make 'em work." He smiled as he tried to pull one leg up then stopped with a groan. "In a few minutes…" he added as he dropped to his side and slowly straightened both legs.

They sat for a few moments in silence before they felt the soft rumble beneath them. Both men moved quickly, scrambling in a half walk-half crawl away from the rubble Mack had just escaped. The rumble grew to a shake as they pulled themselves into the corner and covered their heads as gravel once again rained from the ceiling. The room shook side to side in an almost rocking motion. Fitz turned toward the wall with Mack behind him and hoped for the best. The sounds of rocks bouncing to the floor and more ceiling beams shaking lose was not promising. The quake subsided, easing away to nothing more than gravel sifting across the dusty floor.

Mack turned and wiped the soot from his eyes. Fitz did the same, once again swiping his eyes on his shoulders. Slowly the dust settled and the dim light revealed the new damage. Large pieces of rock had tumbled from the doorway revealing an opening just large enough for the two men to escape.

Mack smiled broadly, shaking as he pushed himself to his feet. He pulled Fitz up as well. He nodded toward the opening.

"I vote we get out of here before something more comes out way." Fitz breathed.

Mack gave a quick nod and limped toward the door.


	67. Chpt 67 Where the Sun Refused to Shine

**Where the Sun Refused to Shine**

Squirming through the opening in the rubble was difficult for Fitz. He stood and felt more than saw the gravel now embedded in his raw palms. Jemma's voice scolded him in his mind. The young man smiled at the thought of her fussing over his injuries as she cleaned and dressed his wounds. The castigation would be worth it. He pushed aside the thoughts that scratched around the images in his head. Jemma had to be safe. Now, she was safe and searching for him. She was not hurt or trapped or…he pushed the thought away and concentrated on her lecturing him on the need to keep any open wound clean.

Mack pushed himself through the small opening losing more skin from his bare arms and both hips as the jagged rocks tugged at his waist band. He'd had to drop back and remove his belt that would not fit through the hole. He almost laughed at the memory of his mother telling him on more than a dozen occasions, in fact whenever he complained things were difficult, about the difficulty she had in twenty hours of labor delivering an almost ten pound infant. 'This one's for you, momma.' He thought as he pulled the bulk of his large body through the rock portal. He let out a relieved groan as he slid to the floor on the opposite side, taking in a long cleansing breath.

The air wasn't much better in the pitch black hallway. It was stale and warm but lacked the soot and dust that filled the air in the room they'd spent trapped for the last 'who knew how many' hours. Fitz paced back and forth, shaking his burning hands at his sides as Mack lay on the floor simply taking advantage of the ease in breathing and the feeling tingling back into his lower limbs.

"Air filters are working properly…" Fitz spoke, more to himself than to his companion. "No lights so we've got to make it all the way back in this bloody, damn dark."

Mack let out a breath and pulled himself to his feet. From the sound of Fitz's voice he was no more than three feet away, but the darkness was complete and the large man could see nothing. "Don't suppose you have anymore of those light things." Mack grumbled as he forced his legs to take a few shaky steps. As the feeling returned he could feel the damp warmth on his left calf. The sharp pain in his lower leg verified what he already knew...but, now was not the time to inventory his injuries. They'd make it back to Elena and Simmons then get themselves out of this mess before it collapsed around them. Hopefully, Jemma had pulled the rest of the team out of whatever oblivion they'd disappeared into by the time they got to them.

"It's very easy to get disoriented in cases like this, especially since most of what we were familiar with has crumbled." Fitz patted the wall in front of him as he slowly stepped forward. "It's difficult to tell if we are headed in the right direction." He turned toward Mack even though he could not even make out his shadow in the blackness. "We could be heading further into the underbelly of this beast." He ended with a nervous laugh.

Mack stood and thought. He wasn't even sure the hole they'd climbed through was in fact once the door. Maybe they'd punched through a wall into another room and weren't in the hall. Maybe they'd dropped into a different hallway and would need to take a new route to the upper levels. He blinked a few times and swiped at the sweat that dripped into his eye. The sticky residue on the back of his hand told him it was more than perspiration. There was no sense sharing it with Fitz. He wondered about his friend's condition. They'd been so concerned with freeing his legs they hadn't given any consideration to the fact that Fitz could also have serious injuries.

"The air is a bit lighter here," Fitz's voice came from somewhere ahead of the large man.

He could hear the young engineer thumping his fists against the wall. The sounds were moving away from him and Mack slid his large boots across the floor in an effort to follow…no sense tripping over some rubble in front of him.

"The air below us would be warm…stale…" Fitz's voice explained and Mack shook off the feeling of how it seemed so disembodied. "I am certain this is the correct direction." There was a long pause. "At least I hope it is…"

"Turbo, wait…" Mack coughed as he laid his hand on the wall and inched toward the voice in the darkness.

Fitz let out a soft chuckle. "Too bad neither of us took up the nasty habit of cigarettes."

Mack crinkled one side of his face. It was an odd comment and he could picture Fitz smiling at him, waiting for his reaction.

"At least one of us might have a lighter or at least a match." The younger man sighed.

"I know we need to get out of here, Fitz," Mack began. He knew Fitz needed to get to Jemma as much as he needed to know Elena was safe. "But, I think we need to stop and figure out some way shed some light. This is like moving around in a cave."

"Spelunking," Fitz corrected. "Dangerous business, a man could go blind in the never ending darkness."

"Great," Mack grumbled, "all the more reason to slow down. I'd like to _see_ Yoyo when we get to them."

"I don't think that is one of our worries. We'd have to be here a great deal of time before our eyes ceased functioning, no doubt we would be dead long before that happened." Fitz elaborated as he continued forward, thumping the wall as he went.

"You are just full of great expectations…." Mack breathed as he inched forward a few feet before stumbling into Fitz.

"Door," Fitz sighed, "Blast door…" he sighed heavier.

"And it needs electricity to open…" Mack sighed as well.

xx

Elena stood with her hands planted on her hips, glaring at the rubble in the doorway. A few smaller pieces had shivered free but it made no difference. There was no way to know if the debris was a foot deep or the entire floor above had collapsed into the hallway. She also knew Jemma was not a naïve cadet who was unaware of the jeopardy facing them. The air would not last forever and every tremor threatened the fragile hold on the base's life support. Even sans that without food and water they could not survive. She stepped back and looked to the ceiling where panels covered the shafts that ran throughout the structure. She wondered if she…or both of them might remove one of those covers and crawl through the shaft to wherever the hell they could find an out…and a way to get to Mack and Fitz.

Jemma stepped next to her and stared up at the spot on the ceiling that seemed to be taking all of Yoyo's attention. She drew a breath and shook her head. "It seems promising but it will never work." She frowned as Elena looked down at her, an unspoken question in her gaze.

"Those shafts are not strong enough to support either of us." She let out a sigh and walked toward the computer screens to be sure they were still displaying the orange and green tracks of their team mates' biorhythms. "They are mostly fiberglass and more fabric than foundation." She continued speaking without turning to face her friend. "Coulson had them all replaced about the same time he remodeling all of the bathrooms…not that the place didn't need a bit of updating…"

Yoyo heard little after the word 'foundation'. Jemma was rambling…her way of dealing with the overwhelming anxiety they were experiencing. The young woman went on with her senseless jabbering at the same rate Elena paced across the floor still examining the ceiling for some crack wide enough to provide access to what was beneath.

Yeah, Coulson had done all that work but the _old_ shafts would still be there. They were part of the base. They could not have been removed, much like horizontal chimneys they ran throughout the place. She remembered Mack complaining about how they created hurdles to be jumped when they rewired the computer systems. If she remembered correctly they ran along the perimeter of the rooms and were certainly wide enough for her and Jemma to scramble through without much difficulty.

"Of course there's always the possibility that the older systems are still in place and…" Jemma was once again next to Yoyo and staring at the ceiling with more intensity.

xx

Fitz was shaking his head. "They run on a different system." He huffed. "On the slight chance something like this disaster should occur."

Mack squeezed his eyes shut then opened them as he tried to clear his head and think this through. The blast doors were meant to protect the separate sections of the base in the event of fire, explosions or intruders. Hence the reason much of the base still stood after Robo-May's decision to take it out. Once the danger was past, the doors should reopen, so unless there was a raging fire on the opposite side there was no reason for them to remain closed. They ran on their own system…off the computers Fitz had configured a few years back. Of course that would only happen if and when one of them passed their ID cards or badge over the sensor and even with Fitz's sophisticated programming that required light.

It also required one of those damn color-coded ID cards Mace had insisted everyone wear but after all that had happened no one had been concerned with them for months. Hell, no one had seen one since before they traipsed out to that Russian sub base to rescue May.

Fitz was thumping against the wall again. Mack could feel him moving up and down next to him.

"We have a slight chance of success…" Fitz started and Mack pushed himself from resting against the wall. "But…" he hesitated.

Mack waited, listening to Fitz's breathing and soft sigh. A light tapping was the only response before the younger man spoke again.

"The panel has a tamper protocol. If someone should try to get into the system it sets off an alarm." He let out another frustrated breath. "If all goes as it should that means a rather loud claxon and a strobe meant to blind the intruder will follow."

"Great," Mack grumbled. "We get blinded by the light or the dark. Some choice." It was hard not to hear the defeat in his voice.

"I may be able to redirect the strobe and give us enough time to hot wire the door open, but…." Fitz sighed a second time.

"Again with the 'but'," Mack groaned. "What but?"

"I'll need your hands." The younger man let out in one breath.

"Fitz," Mack began. "Just put my hand on that panel. I'll get it off."

Fitz shook his head and held his palms in front of him, despite the fact they could not be seen. "I'm afraid I've done some damage to my hands. You'll have to do more than remove the panel."

xx

"Even if the old shafts are still there _and_ clear, we have no way of accessing them, let alone getting all the way up there." Jemma pointed to the ceiling as she crinkled her eyes in frustration.

"Bathroom," Elena answered.

Jemma stifled a giggle. "That's quite understandable in a case such as this." She nodded toward the door at the opposite end of the room.

"Dios mío por genio, a veces eres tan denso como un ladrillo." Yoyo groaned under her breath as she threw up her arms and shook her head. She pointed toward the room. "El baño…the bathroom," she tilted her head toward the door.

Jemma exhaled and nodded. "Yes, yes…go. I'm sure everything is working properly in there."

"Jemma, the bathroom," Yoyo growled. "The ceiling is not as high in there."

"Well, of course it isn't," she agreed, "they don't need t…" The younger woman paused and took a few steps toward the door then turned back and smiled. "The ceiling is lower and we can reach it and…"

"Hopefully access the shafts that surround this room." Yoyo was already halfway to the door with Jemma few steps behind."

xx

The dark was no help and that combined with Mack's frustration at Fitz neglecting to tell him about the injury to his hands made working on removing the panel an exercise in futility. Mack ran his large fingers around the edge of the toaster sized plate that covered what they needed. It was almost impossible to squeeze the tips of those large digits behind its end.

Fitz stood close enough that his breath was hot on the back of Mack's arm. He'd accuse him of looking over his shoulder except it was pretty impossible to _look_ anywhere…under the circumstances. "Once you've gotten it off it will be the blue," Fitz snorted a small laugh although nothing was funny. "I guess it doesn't matter. Does it?" He didn't wait for an answer. The change in Mack's breathing let him know his friend wasn't amused. "The thicker wire on the left," Fitz pointed to the left with one of his raw fingers.

"That won't make a difference, if I can't get it off." Mack grunted then let out a long frustrated breath as he dropped his arms and stood straight relieving the ache in his back.

"The panel should release once you break the seal. It's just a matter of a bit of air pressure." Fitz assured him.

Mack dropped back against the wall and closed his eyes. "Easy to say if you have box of tools, Turbo, not so easy with these." He held out his hands, frowning at the palms he could not see.

"Yes, well it's unfortunate we don't carry a tool box about then, isn't it." Fitz grumbled.

"Yeah, be great if we had them in pocket size for emergencies." Mack snarled.

"Pocket size," Fitz repeated, "pocket size…"

Mack lifted his head from the wall and looked in the direction of Fitz's voice.

"Pocket size!" Fitz exclaimed, cringing as he patted at his trouser pockets…silently praying it was there. "Yes…" he breathed as he pulled the small tool from his side pocket. It was hard to feel anything more than the cool metal with his skinned fingertips. He reached out, wildly searching for Mack's hand, clutching his wrist for a moment before pushing the small object into the larger man's grip. "In 1884 Karl Elsener and his mum put together this little winner for troops who needed a foldable tool that could open canned food and aid in disassembling a rifle." He patted Mack's now closed fist. "They've made remarkable improvements over the last one hundred thirty five years. The most recent contains a thumb drive." He patted Mack's fist again, ignoring the fire it sent through his palm and fingers.

It took only a few seconds for Mack's senses to connect the feel of the small object to a mental picture. He'd given it to Fitz not long after they'd first met. The young man was still recovering from the brain damage he'd suffered at the hands of that monster, Ward. Fitz had a difficult time holding tools and even more trouble remembering where he'd put them. The small folding pocket knife held almost every small tool he might need. Fitz was rarely without it. Mack at no idea the younger man still carried it. He turned it in one hand and felt the notches with the opposite, easily flicking out the tool he needed. Once more Mack pushed away from the wall and ran his hand along the side of the door until it landed on the panel. Using one hand to guide the other he forced the blade into the slight space under it and jimmied the plate free. It fell to the ground with an echoing clank.

Both men froze. Mack stepped back holding his hands away from the now open box expecting the claxon to sound. He'd already squeezed his eyes shut to block the light. Fitz had done the same, now standing just a bit behind the larger man. Both held their breath, bodies tense in anticipation.

Mack relaxed, blinking into the darkness. He felt Fitz somehow retrieve the pocket tool in the pitch black then move around him and gave a shrug. "Maybe it's the wrong…"

Before he could finish the thought a loud pop preceded the siren that blasted from the panel only excelled by the flashing beacon that followed. Fitz was yelling something, but it was just a buzz drowned out by the claxon. Mack reached into the panel, fumbling with wires on the left side, fingering each and hoping his choice of the thickest one was correct. He tugged once then yanked it free. A second later he stood listening to the ringing left in his ears after the siren died away. Fitz smiled at him in the hazy greenish light that shone from somewhere inside the hole in the wall.

Mack smiled and shook his head as he closed the pocket tool and slipped into his own pocket. "Not much of a secure system, Turbo." He almost laughed.

"We have exactly three minutes to get the door open before the not so secure system blasts us into what ever bit of debris stands behind us." Fitz breathed with an 'I'm sorry' head tilt.

Mack reached to pull all of the wire free.

"NO!" Fitz yelled, stopping him. "That," he drew a breath and calmed his tone. "That would just hurry the blast along."

Mack pulled his hand back slowly, being careful not to touch a single wire.

"Green," Fitz said around a thick swallow. "Carefully ease the green wire from its port then do the same with the yellow, after which you'll need to reverse them."

Mack nodded and gently pulled out both wires then crossed them and reattached both. He stepped back when he heard the soft 'pish' of the hydraulics releasing. The man held his breath as the doors opened about six inches.

"Now the violet," Fitz's voice was almost a whisper.

Mack gave one quick nod and pulled the thin wire free. He looked over his shoulder at Fitz and tried not to think about the dimming light.

"White," Fitz gave the next color and Mack began to pull gently. "No, no…" Fitz warned, raising a hand. "No, you need to make a small cut and splice the two together."

Mack shook his head with a soft growl and swiped the sweat from his eyes with the back of one hand. He hadn't noticed how warm it had grown. He pulled the pocket tool from Fitz's palm and flicked it open, made a small cut in the white wire and pulled back the purple coating on the other exposing the copper wires beneath.

The small light had shrunk to the brightness of a birthday candle and Mack thought of singing to May a few weeks ago, when Daisy produced a pack of Twinkies and one already used candle. The thought of her un-amused snarl masking her real feelings for the girl, almost made him smile. He shifted his weight and shook it off as he forced his big fingers to wrap the wires around each other. Again the door hissed and the light extinguished.

The men stepped back and waited a moment as nothing happened.

"Perhaps it was the pink wire…" Fitz mumbled.

Mack opened his mouth then snapped it shut, giving only an incredulous look. Fitz gave a quick shrug.

A click alerted both of them a second before the telltale bleeps of a countdown began.

"Great," Mack growled before bending to the opening in the door and wrapping his fingers through the small crack. He braced his legs, ignoring the shearing pain and lifted with everything he had.

The door groaned and Mack pulled again slipping back a moment before it snapped shut. He pulled his hands back into fists making sure all ten digits were still in place.

The bleeping quickened.

The doors snapped again, opening at least three feet before slamming shut within seconds. Ten bleeps later they widened a third time, just a bit shorter than Fitz stood, before slamming with a loud crash.

"When I tell you…run." Fitz warned, reaching out a hand against Mack's chest. "And duck just bit," he added as he mentally counted the bleeps.

Before Mack could ask or agree the younger man shouted "NOW!" and wrapped his injured fingers in the hem of his large friend's T-shirt. A second later they both lay sprawled on the floor opposite the door as it slammed again and the expected blast thumped behind it.

xx

Jemma stood in the restroom doorway watching as Elena stood on the cabinet that surrounded the sink. She cringed every time the older woman slid an inch in any direction pressing against the ceiling tiles in search of one just loose enough to pry free. The young doctor drew a quick breath as Elena's foot hovered over the small sink for a moment. She reached out quickly snatching the other woman's ankle and guiding back to the counter top.

"Dios mió!" Elena barked as she pulled her foot free of her friend's grasp. She glared down at the concerned doctor.

"If you break your leg there will be little I can do in our circumstances." Jemma explained.

Elena merely shook her head and continued her search, stepping dangerously close to the edge of the vanity. Jemma squeezed her eyes and fists shut tightly. Elena smiled as she looked over her shoulder while pressing on the last block she could reach from her location. It was just as secure as the rest.

"What the hell is under…" she let the question drop…it was rhetorical. And even so, Jemma would have no more idea than she did about what was holding these supposedly dropped ceiling blocks so securely in place. The woman let out a long frustrated breath and dropped back against the wall, still perched atop the counter. She peered at the two foot square blocks above her. It made sense that Coulson would be sure the ceilings in all of the holding cells were secure, but this was part of the lab system. It was a room used for research and computers and a lot of nerdy scientists. There was no reason to keep them from escaping if the need arose. She rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. Of course they wouldn't be prevented from leaving but they'd need protection from some degenerate breaking into their sanctuary.

A soft rumble shook the room causing Jemma to brace herself in the door frame while Elena jumped to the floor. It was over as quickly as it started and both women paused listening to the pitter patter of the small rocks that fell from the blockage that held them captive.

"I don't think those shafts are the answer," Jemma shook her head. "How do we know they are still structurally sound with all this rocking and parts of the base falling all around us?" The young woman's voice held a miniscule hint of panic that Elena did not miss. Jemma glanced back at the ceiling with only her eyes. "Perhaps that is what's holding the panels in place. Removing them would…"

Elena followed Jemma's gaze. She held up a hand and shook her head. "You might be right. It is probably not smart to…" she paused and thought for a moment, "tomar el reisgo."

"Yes," Jemma laughed a nervous twitter. "No sense pressing our luck." She tried desperately to shake off the image of more rubble dropping through the ceiling to crush both of them.

Elena brushed the dust from her hands on her pants and stepped around Jemma back into the computer room. The recent vibration had brought more light dust from the ceiling. It glistened as it fell through the light of the room reminding the woman of her first experience with snow. The same sight only heightened Jemma's anxiety over just what was above that ceiling. She moved to check the monitors again, not that she could anything about glitches or crashes, but it kept her from thinking about impending doom and the whereabouts of Fitz. The fact that she was still standing on the floor of _this_ level was proof that he had not been crushed by upper levels falling down on top of him.

That was the only thought keeping her sane and from falling to the floor in hysterics. Fitz and Mack had gone to the bowels of the base to check the power and life support systems. If all this shaking had caused a total collapse they would never be found. But this level was still in one piece…well a lot of pieces, but still holding its integrity. If the lower levels had fallen through, this level would have followed. Wouldn't it? She'd never really studied the blueprints or mechanics of the base. She'd had no reason to even wonder. Who ever wondered about the schematics of the building they occupied?

Elena moved to the rubble that was once the door. With a fierce growl she kicked the bottom rock with all her might only succeeding in sending a shot of pain from the ball of her foot to her thigh. She winced silently and limped back a few steps.

Jemma stood from her position bent over one of the lower monitors and tsked once. "It will do no good to injure yourself."

"Or lose the last bits of your mind…" Yoyo growled back, massaging her calf.

"Oh?" Jemma wasn't sure if she was curious or insulted.

Elena crossed her eyes and wagged her index fingers around both ears. "El pequeño científico se vuelve loco." She pointed both fingers at Jemma. "Niñita, Jemma, mucha loca." The woman almost sung as she twirled her fingers again.

Jemma slammed her hand on the counter causing every monitor to blink into a scrambled signal and quickly reestablish proper function. "I am far from losing it and much farther from being a child." She snapped. "At least I am not trying to climb around in the walls like some overgrown rodent." Her voice rose in pitch as she stepped closer to Yoyo.

"Are you calling me a squirrel?" Yoyo demanded, puffing up her chest and stepping directly in front of Jemma.

Jemma poked a finger into the other woman's shoulder. "If the fur fits…" She paused and shook her head. "Squirrel? _Squirrel?_ " Jemma couldn't help it she burst into laughter, holding her sides as she bent over in it.

Elena stared for a moment, breathing rapidly through her teeth. How dare this little pipsqueak insult her and then laugh. "You would call me a _squirrel_ …" She snarled then stifled a laugh of her own. "Squirrels do not move around inside, they…" Yoyo stopped and realized the ridiculousness of the statement as well as the situation and broke into the same laughter as her friend.

The women wrapped each other in a comforting hug as they sunk to the floor and their laughter turned to tears.

"What if everyone else is gone?" Jemma sniffled.

"Mack," Elena sighed.

"Fitz," Jemma sobbed.

A hard thump from below stopped them both. The women exchanged glances and scrambled to their feet.

"That was no quake." Elena announced, quickly regaining what was left of her calm.

"An explosion?" Jemma wondered out loud. "Perhaps the last rumble ruptured a gas line…"

Elena shook her head. "It was not powerful enough."

Jemma thought for a moment and moved toward the door again. "You're right. It sounded more like an aero-blast."

Elena wrinkled her face in confusion. "A…"

"Aero-blast," Jemma nodded. "Fitz installed them as a security measure just in case anyone tampered with the air locks or blast doors. They are quite intense." She smiled at her partner's ingeniousness.

Elena nodded with a half smile.

"Fitz"

"Mack"

They exclaimed at the same time.

" _Jemma_ ," a garbled voice came through a static filled transmitter. " _Jemma!_ " It was louder, desperate, but no more clear.

Both women scrambled across the room. Elena grabbed the small black radio and pushed the button. "Is Mack with you?"

Jemma pulled the object from her hands before the voice could answer. "Fitz! Fitz…" she wrapped both hands around the transmitter. "Fitz, are you alright?"

"Bo…kay…ar…pewt…son…ay…zee…ming…oo." The reply was in and out and made little sense.

"The door is blocked, Fitz. We can't get out." Jemma spoke quickly.

"oh…chur…tus…ow…d" Now Mack's voice scratched through.

Elena pulled the object back into her hand. "We can't understand you, Turtle Man." She smiled at the term she used for him. "Took you long enough."

"most…air…oo…vels…low…" His voice bounced back.

"They're two levels below!" Jemma announced, almost giddy in her excitement.

The radio gave a strange squelch and went silent. Jemma stared at it for a moment before tapping the button rapidly. Elena pulled it out of her reach and narrowed her eyes.

"Lost them," she sighed as she dropped the small radio to the table.

"But they're almost here and they're fine." Jemma breathed.

A blipping noise brought their attention to the laptop on the floor under one of the gurneys. Jemma stooped and pulled it out, setting it atop the same cot. She watched as the white letters appeared on the black screen.

 _We need to get out of here. Things are going south real fast. Everyone in danger_.


	68. I Know There's Someone Just Waitin' Some

**I Know There's Someone Just Waitin' Somewhere**

"I'm telling you, something is way wrong," Daisy sounded desperate as she tried to explain what she'd experienced. "They don't even know who I am!" Somehow that gave her a queasy feeling. She looked to Skye who paced near the door now guarded by a very worried Coulson.

May sat on the bed next to the older version of her daughter, attempting to qualm her fears. "You have to calm down, Daisy." She glanced quickly to Skye who now nibbled on her thumbnail as tears streaked over her cheeks.

The younger girl was almost knocked to the floor when Daisy crashed back into the room a few minutes ago. She spoke so quickly that nothing made sense until May made her take a lot of deep breaths and sit down before she explained everything again. Daisy told her parents how she'd found her _parents_ almost turned into zombies. She squeaked out the fact that the colors in the kitchen were weird and that included Phil and Melinda who were starting to resemble characters in some fifty-ish sitcom. She looked at Skye and explained that they were upset about some note that she'd brought home from school but again the little girl shook her head and swore she had not ever done so. Daisy swallowed, then nodded as she turned back to May.

"I did…I brought the note but not to you…" She grabbed May's shoulders and shook her head, of course she hadn't given it to May. She didn't even know May when she was ten years old…when she stuck that mouse in Sr. Anthony's draw. And it wasn't her mother she'd been sent to with a note, it was the principal of St. Agnes' who was also the head honcho at the orphanage was no slouch and she found herself nursing a sore backside the rest of the day.

"What note?" May was confused not only by the story but by her protégé's reaction to the situation.

Skye made for the door, anxious to do what she could to help her parents or at least to see for herself what was happening. May barked a quick 'stop right there' and the little girl froze wither hand a few inches from the knob. Coulson wrapped his arm around her shoulders and directed her back to the bed where May still sat with Daisy but the child refused to sit, choosing to pace instead. Coulson took it upon himself to stand between the door and both versions of his child.

"The note Skye didn't bring home…it was blank…but they knew all about the mouse…." Daisy raised a hand to her forehead and massaged her temple.

May looked to Coulson then back to Daisy.

"I'm telling you, something is way wrong," Daisy exhaled as she dropped her hand to her lap.

Coulson was pacing, almost in tandem with the little girl at his side. May motioned for the child to come to her then wrapped her arms around the distraught little girl.

"I needa help my mom and dad." She breathed as May pulled her closer.

"I don't think that's safe right now, bao bao." The woman shook her head.

"How could they know…" Daisy shook her head. "I never told anybody…never…" She mumbled to herself more than to anyone.

May reached out a hand and took Daisy's in her own attempting to console both her 'daughters'. The warm vibration that ran up her arm surprised her. It was uncomfortable but not painful, almost intriguing in its sudden sensation. Almost like a shock, but it held and May couldn't help thinking about making contact with both ends of a battery. It was surprising but subtle, not like the spark that pricked your finger when you slid your stocking feet across the rug and flicked on the light. That made you pull your hand away quickly, wincing at the sharp sting. This was more of a soft hum.

 _"Are they okay?"_ Skye thought to Daisy and the older girl felt the fear in her younger self.

 _"I don't know kid, I just don't know."_ Daisy thought back.

May looked from one girl to the other feeling the slight change in the gentle hum as it ran in one direction and then back in the other. Energy, she thought, some kind of energy connected them. Fitz would be all over this. Simmons would not believe it. Then maybe only she felt it…after all she was their mother…somehow both versions of this girl were her daughters…daughter…two parts of one whole.

"I have to go down there." Coulson broke her reverie and the girl's short conversation.

"NO" May and Daisy exclaimed rising to their feet.

"I'm going too." Skye quipped as she slid to her feet in front of them.

"No," May stated again, with more authority. "No one is going anywhere until we figure this out." She turned and pointed to the laptop, still on the bed, then nodded toward Daisy. "Get on that thing and tell Fitz to get us out of here… _now_."

Daisy nodded back and grabbed the laptop, furiously typing but knowing Jemma could not help.

xx

Mack limped the last fifty feet toward the rubble that covered not only the door but the entire wall of the computer lab. Fitz stood in front of the debris with his hands dangling at his sides. The lights worked in this section although the crackling and sparking at broken intervals did not give much promise. The silty air did nothing to enhance the eerie quiet. The large man let out a relieved breath as he came to stand next to his smaller friend.

"There's no way either of us can get through this, Turbo…even on a good day." Mack huffed.

Fitz rubbed on of his raw fingers under his nose and sniffled. "On a good day we wouldn't have to," he remarked without looking away from the insurmountable obstacle.

Mack tapped the small black radio he'd pulled from his pocket then shook his head. The battery drained quickly and without a way to recharge it was only a matter of time before they lost any means to communicate with the rest of the team. He fought the urge to slam it against the wall.

"We can't even let them know we're out here." Mack grumbled more to himself than to Fitz.

The younger man was not listening. He'd walked to the end of the large rock pile carefully studying the area beyond it. Mack watched as the smaller man took a step toward the wall and reached for one of the smaller rocks.

"Hold on," he called as he shuffled toward him. "If you ever want to use those hands again…"

"About as much as you'd like to keep the lower half of your leg." Fitz finished, dispelling Mack's belief that the young engineer had not noticed his injury.

Mack laid a hand on Fitz's shoulder and shook his head. "We have to find some held, Turbo. Davis has to be here somewhere…"

Fitz was already shaking his head. "We did not pass anyone on the way here, Mack. If they're smart they've gotten to safety."

"No," Mack was adamant. "They wouldn't dessert the team. They'd try to get to them…to us."

Fitz had moved closer to the wall, leaning his head against it to peer behind the rubble. "We're assuming they are able to do something."

Mack hadn't wanted to think that thought. In his mind everyone was fine, just unable to get to each other. If he and Fitz had been trapped all that time…if the girls were safe inside the computer room…then why couldn't Piper and Davis be safe somewhere else in this blasted death trap. He stepped back quickly as a basketball sized rock tumbled from the pile and rolled past him. He watched it for a moment then looked back to where Fitz had been a few seconds before.

"Fitz!" Mack bellowed as he moved forward then quickly side stepped when another larger rock rolled to join the first. He ignored the pain in his calf as he jumped away from the avalanche of debris fell to the floor next.

Mack swallowed the litany of expletives he thought as he snagged the back of Fitz's shirt and yanked him away from the pile of rocks. He spun the smaller man around to face him and grabbed both of his wrists, turning his palms upward. Mack winced at the sight of Fitz's injuries.

"Fitz, even if we start here it will take days for us to get through this and," he nodded at the man's hands. "Neither of us will last that long."

Fitz shook his head. "We don't have to take it all down, Mack. We just need to get this door opened." He cocked his head to the place he'd been digging.

Mack leaned forward and squinted to see through the falling dust. No more than a foot beyond the end of the rock slide was the panel that would release the door on the room that was once used to hold electrical equipment. A smile crept across his face as he let go of Fitz's wrists and slapped a hand on his shoulder almost knocking the smaller man to his knees.

"Step out of the way and give me a try…" he grinned at Fitz.

With a nod, Fitz stepped aside and Mack squeezed into the small space between the rock pile and the wall. He braced himself with his back against the rocks and let out a growl as he pushed with every bit of his fading strength. Fitz jumped away as the rocks and dirt broke away and fell across the hallway exposing the panel and the door next to it. Five minutes later the panel had been removed, wires crossed and the door hissed open.

The two men stepped inside feeling the rush of cooler, fresh air and blinking in the light that seemed bright to their eyes. For a moment it felt as if they'd accomplished something, but what. What good was getting into this room?

Fitz grinned as he saw the look of success drain from his friend's face. "This used to be one room." He began, walking toward the wall the separated them from Jemma and Elena. "We separated them merely for more storage space." He tapped lightly on the wall with the back of his wrist and listened to the dull thunk it returned.

Mack didn't need an invitation. Fitz was saying there was more than likely a weak spot somewhere on this panel and all they'd need to do was find it and get through it.

"Here," Fitz broke into his thoughts. "We need to remove these panels to reveal the older wall."

Mack flipped out the pocket tool he'd used early and pulled a knife from its side. Cutting through the honeycomb shaped wall was slow going but once one panel was loosened, Mack pulled the rest free with his bare hands.

xx

Elena had stared at the laptop screen for several minutes before she let out a frustrated breath and walked back toward something she could at least try to resolve. That damn pile of rubble that blocked their escape. She left Jemma nibbling on a nail as she avoided the argument they'd had over what to tell the part of their team that was gawd knew where. She was tired of all the computer video game play and wanted out of this damn place. Fresh air would be nice…even if she had to breathe it in handcuffs.

"Do you hear that?" Jemma paused as she held her fingers over the keyboard. She had no idea what to tell Daisy or how to explain that Fitz was on his way but she had no idea how long it would take.

Elena turned from where she had removed several smaller rocks, hoping to loosen enough to cause the large pieces to slide free. "Just another rumble," she exhaled without turning toward the doctor.

"No," Jemma shook her head as she stood and took a few steps toward Elena. "I don't feel it." The young woman shook her head. "I just hear it." She paused and cocked her head. "There," she held up a finger. "There it is again."

Elena pulled another rock free and tossed it aside. She let out a long breath and listened for a second before shaking her head and returning to the rock pile.

A loud clank echoed in the silence.

"Tell me you did not hear that." Jemma breathed as she moved toward its source.

Elena stood and brushed her hands across her pants then moved slowly toward Jemma, listening carefully for whatever new insanity was about to happen. They both waited, anticipating the next sound. When it did not come, Jemma tapped lightly on the wall. Elena shook her head and turned away then spun back when a knock that matched Jemma's came from the other side of the wall.

Jemma smiled and tapped again. A response came back immediately. "Someone is there," the young woman almost giggled. A moment later a definite pattern of heavy and lighter knocks sounded. Jemma stepped back as a look of surprise overtook her. She leaned forward and tapped twice, hard then once softly. Another series of knocks came back.

"Fitz!" Jemma squealed, laying a hand on the wall.

Elena scrunched her face in confusion. "A few tap taps and you hear Fitz?"

Jemma nodded quickly. "It's our knock or it was…at the Academy…we…it…" She stopped and fought the blush that rose on her cheeks. "Oh, we just made it up so…"

Holding up a hand, Elena smiled. "I understand."

Jemma smiled back then stopped and shook her head. "Oh, no, no, no it was nothing like that it was to let each other…"

"No matter," Elena stopped her. She pulled a small pocket knife from her pocket and began cutting into the seam that outlined the hexagonal panels that composed the wall.

xx

Daisy watched the cursor blip for a few minutes before she set the laptop to the side and gave a shrug. "Sometimes there's a little lag." She explained, hoping that was the reason Jemma hadn't answered.

Skye looked at the screen and shook her head. "It never takes this long." She disagreed.

"Something's wrong," May breathed glaring from Coulson to Daisy and back.

Coulson sighed. "Daisy thinks her powers are wrecking havoc back at the base. There's been a little upheaval there."

"Powers?" Skye repeated.

"Upheaval," May sneered.

"Do I get powers?" Skye's eyes widened as she held out her arms and looked them up and down.

"NO!" All three adults barked back, causing the little girl to jump.

May glared at Coulson who hadn't even realized what he'd said until it was too late. They'd made every effort to keep that one truth from the little girl. Both turned to try to explain.

"Oh, hell," Daisy growled. "What difference does it make? She's going to find out sooner or later and by the time it makes any difference…" She glanced at the expectant look on Skye's face and shrugged. "Well, things might be different here anyway."

Skye still stood examining her hands then quickly looking to Daisy's and back. "Power like be'in real strong or like readin' minds?" She remarked then looked toward the door Coulson still guarded. She turned back to Daisy. "Can yer power help my mom and dad?" It was more than a plead than a question.

Daisy shook her head, unable to look the younger girl in the eye. She held out her own hands and stared at her palms then shook her head. "They don't work here."

Before either girl could react May wrap her hands around both their hands and squeezed lightly. "We're going to help your parents, Skye." She smiled at the little girl. "And we'll get back to save everyone else as well." She gave quick nod toward Daisy, who smiled weakly and nodded back.

Coulson paced back and forth, deep in thought then turned to them. "How far can you two do that thing you do?" He put a finger to his temple then twirled it out and back.

Skye's eyebrows rose as Daisy let out a fluttery breath. "Geez, does everybody know…" She glanced at the small girl whose cheeks flushed as she scrunched up one side of her face and shrugged one. Daisy's jaw dropped.

Skye threw up her hands. "I just kinda told them when I got stuck in your laying low place. I din't think it was a secret."

Daisy looked to May, standing with her arms across her chest and could not help thinking she looked as if she was enjoying this. She looked back to Skye. "It's not a _secret_ …just…it…well, _everybody_ didn't need to know."

Skye shrugged again. "I'm sorry." She mumbled.

Daisy opened her mouth to argue then snapped it shut at one look from May. "Great," she huffed, "you take her side."

May let out a snort and shook her head.

"It's not funny," Daisy sounded close to whiny.

"No, I just never had the opportunity to watch someone actually argue with themself."

Even Coulson chuckled at her statement. "So, how far?" He asked again.

This time Daisy shrugged. "I'm not sure, but it doesn't work from here to there." She pointed to the floor and then hooked a thumb over her shoulder.

"I could tell ya were in trouble when we got switched last time." Skye explained. "But I couldn't think to ya." She shook her head then looked at Coulson. "It works to downstairs."

"Yeah," Daisy agreed. "When I was down there I could hear…er, think to her, it was a little tinny down there but like I said it's weird."

Coulson nodded and stepped toward May. "I have an idea…not the greatest idea…so hear me out before you bite my head off…" He looked from May to Daisy and back.

"Nothing stupid, Coulson," May warned.

Skye sniggered at the woman's tone then quickly stepped behind Daisy when May cast a glare toward the little girl. Daisy was quick enough to cover her own laugh with a cough. May narrowed her eyes at the girl anyway.

Coulson let out a frustrated sigh. "It's not the smartest plan, but it's all I've got. So unless someone comes up with an alternative…" He let the statement hang.

May let out a sigh of her own. It was more of a growl as she waited for him to continue.

Five minutes later May was shaking her head. "I said nothing stupid and you go miles beyond." She threw up one arm and walked away in a huff.

It was a stupid plan and there was no way to know if it would work or if they could reverse it if it did not, but Coulson was right. It was all they had.

Daisy shook her head as well. "I should be with you."

"No," Coulson pointed to the laptop on the bed. "I need you here to run point…stay on that thing until you hear from Fitz and we can get out of here." He smiled at the little girl who stood between them. "Skye will keep you posted. If anything ha…if we need you, she will let you know."

He looked to May. "If there's anyway we can take over…be in charge, as the girls say…then we can control what's happening and keep things from getting even more weird."

Skye nodded. "Me and Daisy can do that. We can take turns be'in in charge. Member, Daisy when you got the shots when we went to school?" Skye giggled.

Daisy shot her a dirty look then turned back to Coulson and May. "She's right, but I'm not sure how it works. I don't even know why we stay separate and you don't. Maybe Fitz can explain it."

"Maybe," he agreed with her as he reached for Skye's hand. "You hear from Fitz, you let us know."

Daisy gave a nod. She hated being left behind, but understood the need for following orders. She smiled at Skye. "Hey kid, you better be careful with the attitude and smart ass comments." She almost laughed. "You'll have two moms down there. One slip and it's double ass whacks."

Skye narrowed her eyes. "Yer not s'posed ta say ass."

May landed a swift and meaning swat on the smaller girl's backside. "Enough!" She commanded.

"Ouch!"

"Hey!"

Both girls reacted bringing an evil smile to May's features. "So that's how it works," she snarked and turned to Daisy before exiting the room. "Better keep a check on your own attitude." She winked as she shut the door.


	69. The Walls Took a Long Time to Crumble

**The Walls Took a Long Time to Crumble**

Mack paused to swipe the sweat from his forehead before it dribbled into his eyes, the saltiness of it already stinging both. He glanced at Fitz who refused to take a break. The younger man's hands raw from his work.

They'd removed enough of the plaster wall to see the wooden structure beneath and the knocking that had answered Fitz's was enough to let them know their respective partner's were at least able to, in fact, knock. From the thumping and scraping on the other side of the wall, Mack and Fitz knew the 'girl's' had a sense of what was happening and doing their best to help.

"Hey, Turbo…" Mack breathed, wiping his arm across his brow. "Maybe you should slow down a bit."

Before Fitz could answer a low rumble growled beneath them, strong enough to shake a bit more plaster loose. The young engineer merely cast Mack a sneer before the large man shook his head and turned back to the business of getting through. Fitz suddenly slammed a fist against the wall then turned and scanned the room. Mack watched, following his line of sight.

The room, which had been used to store what they had salvaged from the wreckage, was stacked with crates and boxes full of bits and pieces Fitz had used to put together what they needed to continue living in the burnt out base. Most of it was wires and odds and ends of computers or lab equipment. There were a few foot lockers pulled from collapsed bunkers yet never opened, the couch they'd pulled from the com room and a few broken chairs. Mack stared at them for a moment remembering how Jemma had insisted they keep them just in case there was a need for fuel. They'd all had a good nervous laugh.

Those first days were frightening. They'd lost everything, but still had each other. Living in the shadows wasn't new to the team but now they were completely in the dark. It took weeks for Fitz and Mack to get the electricity to work. During that time they resorted to lanterns, candles and what was left of flashlights. They slept as a group on the floor of the com room; keeping each other near as they healed from the nightmare they'd survived. Coulson kept May and Daisy close while the two other couples were rarely separated. Even after the power began to work sporadically, they stayed together slipping away to respective bunkers in their own time.

Mack shook off the memories. The sound of Fitz smashing through one of the crates drew his attention. He limped toward the sound. Before he could ask, he peered over the younger man and realized what he was attempting. Mack placed his hands on Fitz's shoulders and moved him aside then reached past and pulled the item Fitz was trying to secure from the rubble. He smiled at the length and weight of the piece.

More then likely it was a steering column from one of the vehicles lost in the explosion, or at least part of one. Mack knew without asking that is was long enough and heavy enough to swing like a sledge hammer and take out a large chunk of the wall that separated them from their target. He gave one quick nod to Fitz who returned it with a relieved exhale. Mack stepped to the wall and called out.

"STAND BACK!"

His voice boomed through the wall now devoid of the soundproof honeycomb tiles.

xx

Skye made for the stairs as soon as she exited the bedroom. May snatched her forearm and pulled her back delivering a nonverbal warning that had the girl swallow and nod in immediate compliance. Something about this version of her mother was so much more intense. May pushed the girl behind her and followed Coulson down the stairs noticing the strange feeling when less than halfway down.

"Smells funny," Skye whispered from behind them.

Coulson had noticed the change in the atmosphere as soon as they started down. It wasn't so much the smell but the absence of it. He thought about how people rarely noticed the scents around them and how everything had an odor all its own. When all of that was gone…like a vacuum…nothing remained. He worried for a moment remembering that air also did not exist in a vacuum, but with one deep breath he was sure that was not one of the dangers he needed to add to his worries. If May had noticed, she said nothing, just moved slowly two steps behind him.

As they reached the bottom step, May turned to Skye and watched as Coulson moved into the short hallway. "Tell me how you and Daisy…" May paused as the little girl tried to peer over the railing to look into the kitchen. Coulson blocked her view. The woman pulled the little girl back to her. "How do you 'take charge'?"

Skye shrugged her shoulders and tried to pull away, desperate to see what awaited them below. "I dunno. We just say we're gonna be in charge and it kinda just happens."

May tugged the little girl again, forcing her to look into her eyes. "Skye," she let out the name in a breath. "We're trying to help, but you have to help us." She snagged the child's chin and held her in place when Skye turned away again. "Skye," she snapped with more authority. "We can't do this without your help."

Skye squeezed her eyes shut tightly. Tears squeaked out and dribbled down her cheeks. She nodded before opening them again. "I'm scared." She whispered before May pulled her into a quick hug and kissed the top of her head.

"I know, baobei. We're all scared." She whispered back.

Skye shook her head as she stood back and looked up at May. "I really don't know how it happens." She sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. After a short pause she sniffled again. "Cept, when we got sick and Daisy said I hadda touch her. I was scared then too, but Daisy said it would be okay so I did it and all this blue sparkle stuff went everywhere…" She spread her fingers wipe and waved her arms out then back. "It kinda hurt everywhere all at the same time and then it was okay…I mean it didn't hurt long." Skye thought for a moment as her eyes widened. "Kinda like if the silver paper on yer candy touches yer tooth that got filled." She shivered with the memory.

"Great," May grumbled, mentally counting the fillings in her teeth and wishing she'd brushed better as a child. She took a breath and leaned over the railing to check on Coulson's progress. He stood below staring into the kitchen but looked up when he felt her gaze. She gave a curt nod before descending the rest of the steps with Skye close behind.

"Daisy wasn't wrong." Coulson nodded toward the kitchen where Phil and Melinda still sat in front of their respective cups.

"Mo…" Skye started but was quickly silenced by May's hand laid softly over her mouth. The little girl pulled back but gave a nod when May held up a finger.

Coulson turned and squatted down to Skye's level. "Maybe you should wait her, sweet pickle." Skye was shaking her head before he finished the statement. "Just a little while…just til we check things out."

"Uh huh," Skye replied, trying to skim around him. "I needa see them. I needa know they're okay." She drew a deep breath and swallowed her tears. "I'm not afraid." She looked to May and then back to Coulson. "Please…"

May gave an almost invisible nod and Coulson laid a hand on the little girl's shoulder as he stood. He put out a hand and waited for the child to take it. When she did he gave a squeeze and smiled down at her. May stepped forward with the pair following.

xx

Mack's voice rang through the beams that still separated the rooms. Jemma stopped in her efforts to pull the plaster honeycombed tiles from the wall. Elena worked through it barely registering the sound until Jemma tapped her shoulder.

"Perhaps we should heed Mack's warning." She suggested.

Elena started to shake her head when the first slam rattled the wall. On the second both women stepped back several times. What ever Mack was using to finish this job was making short work of the brick and mortar that stood between them.

Jemma watched as the wall behind their attempts at removing panels vibrated with each clank of the tool Mack swung. Powdery wisps of dust exhaled from the area in tandem with the sound. Slowly a small jagged piece of brick wriggled loose and fell to the floor exposing a finger sized hole. The young doctor restrained from racing forward to peer through it like some peephole in a construction zone. Elena's grip on her wrist held her in place as her resolve began to weaken. Three more slams of Mack's hammer knocked the brick free and Jemma could not help the squeak that escaped her as the man's large hand came through the opening and pulled then pushed at the remaining bricks in order to shake them loose. She felt the vibrations of several more slams seconds after that hand retreated and barely noticed as those vibrations grew in intensity.

The floor moved violently beneath their feet as Jemma and Elena reached for an anchor to hold them in place. Jemma watched as the laptop bounced across the table and slipped off the side, snatched a second before it hit the floor by Elena who appeared back at Jemma's side before the second ticked away. Both women lost the battle to stay upright and fell the floor, half sliding and half crawling toward the large metal table that stood against the far wall. They watched as the computer screens bounced and went black then back to blue in attempt to reboot the concentric circles they had been managing. A large chunk of cement rattled from the ceiling crashing onto one of the keyboards and taking a monitor with it as it split the counter in half.

The missing brick and its wobbly companions caused the wall to lose its integrity. It crumbled with the intensity of the rumble that shook the base. The wall fell in both directions sending powdered bits of brick and mortar into both rooms before it slowly subsided leaving a soft hum in its wake.

Concrete and brick had done more damage than it had in the last few tremors. The table the women had used for cover was bent and dented by the avalanche of rock and the dust polluted the air like a thick fog. The large mass of computers hissed and sparked in a rainbow of electrical squawks and spurts.

Minutes ticked by as the inhabitants of the dusty world took inventory of themselves and their surroundings and waited for some of the silty air to clear. They coughed the dirt from their lungs and waved it away from their faces.

"Are you hurt?" Jemma's soft voice broke the silence. She reached out and touched Elena's shoulder.

The older woman coughed an answer as she shook her head. She looked frantically in all directions before spying the laptop a few inches from her foot. She grabbed it and shoved it toward the doctor, still attempting to clear her throat with hoarse coughs. Elena's eyes grew wide and she slapped her hands to the floor when a loud crash sent more bricks and dust across the room. She watched as several bricks slid across the slick dusty surface of the floor stopping inches from where she and Jemma still crouched in safety.

"Yoyo!" Mack's voice boomed in the silence of the foggy room.

"Jemma!" Fitz barked through a fit of coughing.

"Here!" Jemma answered, holding up a hand and blinking away the dust particles in an effort to make out the dark forms that moved in the silty room.

Elena was already on her feet, picking her way through the debris and practically falling into Mack's arms. She exhaled the sob she promised herself she would not release as his arms closed around her.

Fitz stumbled to the table, reaching out a hand as a blind man might do to make his way across the room. Jemma rose as he approached knocking him off balance. They tumbled to the floor, arms secure around each other.

"Are you hurt?" They asked simultaneously.

Jemma shook her head, unable to speak.

"Just a bit," Fitz lied.

The quartet froze as a soft rumble shook the room and a loud click signaled the ignition of the air filters. Fitz had installed them more than two years ago just in case there was ever a need and was there ever a need. The man laughed at the insanity of the things working after everything that had happened since. But he'd run the filters through the old heating ducts that were hewn out of thick concrete pipes that ran the perimeter of the building. Those pipes were encased in brick and steel and brought in fresh air from the outside. Fitz merely added fans to outtake the bad and intake the good with a bit more oomph. Apparently the sensors had had enough and switched them on using the solar panels installed on the roof of the old warehouse next door. The young engineer wished he'd done the same with all of the life support in the building.

As the air cleared the couples got a better look at their better halves.

"Oh, Fitz, your hands…" Jemma gasped as she held the man's wrists and gazed at the dirt and rock embedded in his skinless palms.

Mack limped across the room, with an arm around Elena. "He was determined to get done what needed doing."

Elena glared at the large man and pointed to his bloodied pant leg. "And you just sat by and watched." She snarled sarcastically.

Jemma switched into doctor mode, rushing into the bathroom/make shift medical station to begin treating their injuries.

xx

Skye stood in the doorway of the kitchen staring at the muted colors that surround her. It looked like someone sprayed it with the hose and all the colors just ran out. She even glanced at the floor expecting a puddle of mixed colored water there. But her parents gained more of her attention. They were the wrong colors too, all gray and washed away. She was afraid if she touched them her hands would go through them like ghosts.

"Skye," May's voice was soft as she stood behind Melinda.

"It doesn't happen real fast…" the little girl shook her head, "but it ain't slow either…its kinda just kinda like taking a breath and diving in the water then coming up and taking another breath." She shrugged as she stared at her mother. "What if it doesn't work?"

"Then we'll try something else…but…" Coulson began and the little girl looked directly at him. "If anything happens…anything…you get Daisy." He smiled a nod at her as he moved to stand behind Phil.

Neither of Skye's parents had moved or made any sign that they noticed the others in the room. Skye had spoken softly to both of them without acknowledgement. Both continued to stare ahead, Phil stirring his coffee with a soft plink as the spoon tapped the side of the cup. Melinda silently tapped her forefinger on the edge of her teacup. Skye tried shouting, even using a few words she knew would more than likely get her more than a few swats. May raised an eyebrow and cast a warning glare before the girl summoned more colorful terms with fewer letters.

"You learned all that from Daisy?" May growled.

Skye shrugged one shoulder. "Well, some I heard in the school yard but I don't know what they mean zactly."

"Good," May snarled. "Don't use them again." She turned to the task at hand, then looked back at the girl. "We…the three of us…are going to have long talk when this is all over."

Skye swallowed and quickly thought a warning to Daisy.

 _'You said what?! Are you totally nuts?!'_ Daisy's frantic thought came back.

May shook her head and took her position behind Melinda. She glanced at Coulson and gave a quick nod.

"On three," he instructed.

She nodded. "THREE!"

Both wrapped their fingers around their counterpart's shoulders and squeezed as hard as possible. Nothing happened. They looked at each other but before their faces could form their feeling a blast of electric blue shoot through the room in a circle of energy knocking empty chairs back and shattering the coffee mug and teacup in a mini explosion.

Skye felt the pool of blue hit her in the gut and fell back with the shock. Her butt hit the floor a second before her head did the same and the world went black.

xx

Coulson and May felt the sting and shiver of whatever the hell the force was and fell into it as if it were a pool of calm water. May remembered Skye's description of diving into water and a moment later she felt herself draw a deep breath and brought herself upright, staggering a bit before Coulson's arm steadied her. She blinked a few times before drawing another breath and turning to face him.

"What the hell…" she started but stopped when he nodded toward something behind her.

"I think Skye called this the Nowhere Place." Melinda smiled.

Phil had walked into the distance then walked back. "It just goes on and on…but nowhere."

"Guess the kid got it right," May huffed, then looked at Coulson. "Now what?" But it sounded more like 'I told you so'.

Coulson tried not to look as guilty as he felt. "I suppose this is where we decide."

"Decide?" Phil was intrigued. He raised his arms and spun in a circle. "Where the hell are we and how the hell did we get here?"

Letting out a long sigh, Coulson shook his head. "I guess we need to explain a few things first."

"I guess," Melinda agreed with a voice that way more like May's than it had been.

Ten minutes later, Phil was scratching his head while Melinda shook hers in disbelief.

"We don't have access to our expert to explain this," Coulson explained. "Apparently there's some sort of glitch back at…at home." He finished with lack of a better description.

"So you're saying that your being here is somehow causing us to 'meld' together and we're…" Melinda pointed to Phil then back to herself. "We're zombies when you walk away."

"Well, that's the long and short of it," Coulson smiled. May rolled her eyes.

"Ridiculous," Melinda spat.

"I wish I had more," Coulson apologized. "But whatever allowed us to pass between our realities can only handle one set of us at a time. Apparently it didn't matter when we shared the space as one couple," he looked to May as he used the term.

"We don't have time to argue over who's going to take charge. Coulson and I have more experience dealing with both realities and both girls." May added. "We go back, contact Fitz and fix this."

"What about Skye?" Phil and Melinda asked in tandem.

"We will keep her safe." Coulson assured them.

Melinda was shaking her head. "She's my child. I will keep her safe."

Before Coulson could respond May stepped toward the worried mother. "You and I will keep her safe together. There will never be a time you will not be within arm's reach of her. And I promise if she needs you I will step aside." May paused for a moment, taking Melinda's hand into her own. "You have my word…as a mother."

Melinda release the breath she was holding and gave a nod as she squeezed May's hand then reached out to Phil. He took her hand then pulled her close. "What do we do?" He asked, wrapping and arm around his wife's waist.

"From what I understand we just have to _think_ it." Coulson shrugged.

xx

Jemma sighed as she wrapped the last of the bandage around Fitz's hand. It had taken some time to remove the bits of gravel and embedded dirt from his wounds after thoroughly washing them in the bathroom sink. The young man insisted on his partner treating Mack's wounds first agreeing to keep his hands in the cool water soak as she did.

It took twenty stitches to close Mack's wound and without a numbing agent Jemma grimace with each one. An injection of antibiotics also helped. Fitz winced as Jemma ministered to him, pulling away when the pain became too much. When she finished he stared at the bandages that made his hands look as if he'd pushed them into oversized mittens. He held them in front of him ignoring the throbbing within.

"How am I supposed to use the keyboard like this?" He wondered more to himself than his partner.

Jemma glanced to Elena who was wrestling Mack back down on the gurney where he had laid while the young doctor treated his injuries. "I do not think that will be one of our worries." Elena stated flatly.

Fitz pushed himself from his own gurney and stepped around Jemma. He moved slowly to his tower of processors and monitors that had gone black, but still emitted the hum of activity. He stared for a moment then turned back to Jemma and pointed with one 'gauze mittened' hand.

"We've…I…I've…" He turned back and attempted to run a hand through his hair, then stopped and glared at it again before dropping both hands to his sides. "I've lost them…" he whispered, staring at the broken bits of keyboards and smashed monitors. "Lost them…"

Fitz fell to his knees.


	70. 70 - The Scattered Pieces of My Life

**The Scattered Pieces of My Life**

Daisy paced across the floor of the bedroom nervously nibbling her thumb nail. She glanced back at the laptop hoping to see any kind of message from Fitz. The screen remained blank. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she reached for the doorknob but never made contact. The blast of energy that knocked her to the floor left her momentarily breathless. She wrapped her arms around her middle and let out a low groan as she struggled to stand then fell back to the floor and leaned against the bed as she drew a few deep painful breaths.

"What the hell?" She groaned through clenched teeth, squeezing her eyes shy tightly against the pain.

She hadn't felt a punch in the gut like that since the first time she sparred with May. Daisy remembered waking up in the Med Bay and puking for hours until Jemma jabbed her with one of those damn butt shots. She was sure they all got a good laugh out of it and her stomach was black and blue for days. She learned defense and the need to take things seriously after that.

Daisy sat for a moment, taking short breaths. Slowly she pushed herself up and stood for a few seconds before making a mad dash to the bathroom.

"Damn," she groaned as she flushed the commode and sat back on the cool tile floor.

Pushing herself back against the tub, she let her head rest on its edge and kept her arms wrapped around her middle. She was afraid if she let go everything in her gut might drift into new positions. Daisy closed her eyes and reached out to her younger self.

 _"Hey kid…everything okay?"_ Daisy took few deeper breaths and let them out slowly _. "Skye…you guys okay? I don't know what the hell just hit me but…"_ She let out a weak laugh. _"Skye…"_

Daisy sat up quickly. Suddenly the pain in her gut was less a concern than her little self not responding.

 _"Skye…hey kid…you alright? Skye?"_ Daisy wondered if you could think loudly as she scrambled to her feet and headed for the door to the hallway. _"SKYE!"_ She screamed in her mind as she yanked opened the door and ran to the top of the stairs. "SKYE!" She shrieked as she raced down them.

In the bedroom the cursor blinked on the laptop.

 _Daisy…there's been an accident…._

xx

Daisy swung around the bottom of the staircase and raced to the kitchen stopping abruptly at the sight that met her. She scanned the area quickly, ignoring the upset chairs and liquid dripping over the table edge. Shards of glass swam in the puddled tea and coffee. Although normal color had returned to the room, there was no sign of Phil and Melinda…or Coulson and May. Daisy bit back the panic.

"Skye…" She called in a half question/half hushed voice.

A soft moan answered. Daisy spun around the table, landing on her knees next to the small girl sprawled on the floor. Skye moaned again, struggling to open her eyes as she reached a hand to her head.

"Ouch!" The smaller girl scrunched her face in pain. She opened her eyes and blinked at Daisy a few times in an effort to focus,

Daisy managed a concerned grin as she helped the girl to sit. Skye grimaced and rubbed both hands on the back of her head. She closed her eyes again and wobbled a bit before Daisy steadied her a second time.

"Ooo, ooo, ooo, wooo," Skye sucked through her teeth, still holding the back of her head. Tears leaked from both eyes as she blinked again.

"Come on, kid, let's get you some ice." Daisy spoke softly as she helped her smaller self from the floor. She held the child close to her side as she righted the nearest chair then eased her on to it.

Remembering her own reaction, Daisy quickly moved the kitchen waste can next to the girl before pulling open the freezer in search of ice. She shrugged once then pulled a bag of frozen peas from the shelf and turned back to Skye.

Skye rested her elbows on the table. Her fingers were interlaced against the back of her head.

"Let's see…" Daisy urged as she moved the girls hands. Skye gave a hesitant whine but complied. Gently moving the girl's hair for a better view, Daisy sucked a quick breath in through her teeth.

"Is there blood?" Skye sniffed back a sob. "I'm not getting' stitches." She exhaled with more force, attempting to pull away.

Daisy almost laughed as she picked up the frozen peas and wrapped them in the dish towel she pulled from the oven handle. She gently pressed it against Skye's injury, ignoring her whiny protest.

"No blood, but you're gonna have a hell of a goose egg." She smiled, holding the edible ice pack in place. Leaning forward, she looked the smaller girl in the eye. "Keep it there." She instructed as she placed one of Skye's hands on it.

The little girl narrowed her eyes but did as she was told. She lifted her head for the first time and took in the scene. "Oh man, mom is gonna be pissed when she sees this." She almost sounded giddy. "What the hell happened?"

Daisy set the remaining chairs back in place and grabbed a roll of paper towels from the counter. She shot Skye her best May-glare. "Watch your mouth, kid." She warned as she began mopping up the liquid.

Skye smirked and readjusted her vegetable ice pack. "Look who's talking." She huffed.

Daisy slammed the soaking wad of towels into the waste bin and pointed a finger at the smaller girl. "Your mother h…" Daisy narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. "Our mother…mothers hear that and your ass is grass." She drew a quick breath and continued before the little girl could respond. "And that puts my ass on the line since all of this seems to be a shared experience." She finished with a harsh yank of another wad of towels.

Skye chewed her bottom lip for a few minutes, watching Daisy sop up the mess on the table and the floor.

She scrunched up her nose as Daisy deposited the soggy mess into the waste basket directly along side her chair. The little girl looked into it, making her best yuck face then turned to her bigger self. "You should watch yer own mouth then, since it's yer fault I know all these words. And ya just said ass twice."

Daisy rolled her eyes and took a breath. It was pointless to argue with your ten year old self…but she couldn't help it. " _I_ was making a point." She sneered as she tapped her own chest and leaned toward the girl. "And I'm pretty damn sure you knew a _lot_ of those words _before_ you heard them from me."

Skye shrugged her shoulders and dropped the frozen pea pack to the table. Before Daisy could say what her expression was already conveying loud and clear, the little girl protested. "It's givin' me a head ache. And what's with the stinky garbage can?" She kicked it gently, trying to ignore the sudden queasy feeling in her stomach.

It was Daisy's turn to shrug. "Just in case…" She replied.

Skye closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "In case what?" She wrapped her arms around her stomach a split second before Daisy moved the bin closer.

xx

Skye sipped from the small cup Daisy had placed in front of her. It helped a little. She only puked two more times after Daisy found it in the refrigerator. Ginger beer…Daisy blew out a puffy breath when she popped the cap. Hell, she drank a boat load of ginger ale when she was a kid. The Sisters of St. Agnes used it as a cure-all for everything from bee stings to the Hershey squirts. She took a mouthful before pouring it for Skye. Nope, it did nothing to earn the name beer. It was more like a variation of very strong, flat ginger ale she remembered. It had the same effect. Skye threw up twice as soon as she swallowed it.

"This stuff tastes like p…" Skye started, then reconsidered at Daisy's glare. "It's pretty yucky." She stuck out her tongue but took another sip with a quick shiver.

Daisy turned up one size of her mouth and shook her head. She walked to the basement door then back, placed her hands on her hips and drew a quick breath. "So…did they have it out?"

Skye swallowed her 'beer' before giving a confused look. "Who?" She glanced around the kitchen as if looking for someone.

"Who?" Daisy snorted. "You know da…" Skye's eyebrows shot up. "Darn well who. Your…my..." Daisy grit her teeth. "OUR parents…sez…parentses. Damn." She finished, grumbling under her breath.

Skye giggled, quickly wiping the dribble that escaped her lips with her sleeve. "I don't think that's a real word." She continued giggling.

"Yeah well there's a lot of this mess that defies real." Daisy growled. "So, did they?" She raised her brows and her out her hands waiting for an answer.

"Did they what?" Skye was confused.

Daisy slammed a fist on the table. "Damn it, Skye! What happened to them?"

Skye jumped and scowled at Daisy's actions. "I dun no." She squawked. "It was all gloomy and weird then they touched and bam! I was on my a…er, my butt." She pointed to the floor ignoring Daisy's glare. "Then you were here and…"

"And?" Daisy urged.

Skye rubbed her head and drew a quick breath. "Everything got all blue, like a big wave…" She raised her arm in an arch and made a splashing sound. "Cept it wasn't wet and it hurt like hell." She slapped her hands over her mouth and shrugged her shoulders.

Daisy rubbed her hand on her stomach, ignoring the girl's comment. "So, where'd they go?" She wondered.

"I. don't. know." Skye snarled quietly.

xx

With an audible snap Coulson and May were spit into the bedroom where they'd left Daisy. They tumbled over each other stopping nose to nose against the small dresser opposite the bed. For a moment they stared at each other, gathering their wits.

Coulson rose first, reaching out a hand to May. "I really expected that to be a lot easier." He sighed as he helped her to her feet.

May simply sneered as she drew her lips into thin line. Turning, she fully expected to meet Daisy with some snide remark about their less than graceful entrance. It took only a second to realize the room was empty. "Damn it." May growled, pacing to the door and back.

Coulson smiled. "Hold on, May. She might have a good reason for leaving. Skye…"

"My ass," she cut him off. "First chance she got…"

A soft ping from the laptop stopped them both.

"There," Coulson grinned as he pointed and walked toward it. "She had to have a good reason to leave this behind." He remarked over his shoulder.

"Skye…" May breathed, stepping toward the door.

 _Daisy…there's been an accident_

 _We have a problem_

 _Daisy_

 _Daisy…are you there?_

Coulson read the few ominous lines. His expression fell as he stared at the blinking cursor.

May paused and turned back with her hand on the knob. "What?" She breathed. Seeing his concern, she moved to sit next to him. She glanced from the screen to her partner, then back. "Answer him…" she started, but when he didn't answer she pulled the device to her lap and clicked the keys.

 _What happened?_

They watched the cursor blink, trying not to imagine the worst. Each knew Daisy would not have left that message unanswered.

 _Tremors have intensified. Mack and Fitz injured. Processor damaged._

The message was short, but said all they needed to know.

 _How bad?_

 _Unsure of return, extensive damage, base unstable_

Coulson pulled the computer to his lap and typed quickly.

 _Get out of there_

Seconds ticked by before a response appeared.

 _No sir, not without all of you_

He could not help smiling at the words on the screen. Glancing to May he caught her almost imperceptible nod. He returned one of his own.

 _That's an order, Simmons._

The answer came quickly.

 _I'm sorry, sir._

They watched the cursor blink, neither willing to pursue the argument.

"You know she doesn't mean leaving us here." May remarked, breaking the silence.

Coulson set the laptop aside, letting out a heavy sigh. He rubbed his hands against his thighs then put them together and leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. May drew a deep breath and leaned back then forward, slapping her palms on her thighs. She stood quickly and moved across the room then turned back and started to speak, but snapped her mouth shut and looked to the ceiling.

"Maybe it won't be so bad…" Coulson spoke to his hands.

May let out a huff, threw up her arms and resumed pacing. She stopped midway across the room and spun back. "Where the hell is Daisy and what the hell are we going to tell her?"

Coulson rose and started for the door. May followed. He turned the knob and pulled it open then stopped and looked back at May.

"Skye…" They said together.

xx

"He's ordered us to leave." Jemma sighed as she dropped her hands from the keyboard.

Fitz stopped and looked up from where he'd been shuffling through the rubble. Mack dropped the piece of debris he'd been examining and Elena pushed one of the gurneys back into place. It was a useless gesture but she refused to give up hope. She looked to the younger woman then to the two men across the room.

"We are not just leaving them." Elena shook her head.

"No way," Mack agreed.

Fitz stared at the smoldering mess that had been his program's base. He could smell the electronics melting. He looked down at his bandaged hands and then to Jemma with so much hopelessness it brought her to tears. She quickly brushed the tears aside.

Mack looked from one to the other and then to Elena. They both understood the unspoken conversation between the two scientists. "Hey, come on Turbo," Mack smiled despite the situation. "We know you've got some kind of backup." He smiled broadly.

Fitz continued staring at the wreckage. "Of course I have the program but it's worthless without the hardware to run it." He could not shake the angry defeat from his tone.

"We still have this," Elena tapped the edge of the laptop.

Fitz almost laughed. He started to run a hand through his head then looked at his mitten bandage and let it drop to his side. He let out a long breath then turned away from his friends.

Jemma watched, waiting for his reply. When it did not come she quietly cleared her throat. "I…I think what Fitz us trying to say is," she spoke softly and offered Fitz a small smile when he glanced at her over his shoulder. "I'm afraid trying to run Fitz's program on this," she tapped the laptop a few times. "It would be rather like trying to put a sperm whale into a goldfish bowl." She offered another weak smile.

For a few minutes it was silent. Mack's deep laugh broke it. He picked up the laptop and nodded toward the pile of tech debris. "There's enough here to Frankenstein something that can work."

Fitz turned and held out his bandaged hands.

"Not a problem…your brain, my hands…we can do this." Mack encouraged.

Again silence filled the room. Fitz bumped at a few pieces with the toe of his shoe. "We'll need to find the main processor…or what's left of it." He drew a breath and looked over his shoulder. "We can start there."

xx

"What do you mean, you don't know? You were right here with them!" Daisy tried not to sound as frustrated as she felt.

"I _told_ you already. They just put their hands like this and sploosh!" Skye put her hands on her shoulders then flew them out with a flare. "I got slammed on the floor and I _don't_ know what happened." She grit her teeth and strained her neck for emphasis. "Maybe they're in the basement." She threw both arms in the air.

Daisy shook her head as she started for the door. Skye's deep sob stopped her. She turned to see the little girl's panic consume her. Skye had drawn her knees up on to the chair and wrapped her arms around them. The little girl sobbed into them.

"Damn." Daisy muttered under her breath, walking quickly to the child's side and wrapping an arm around her. "Don't worry, kid," she hugged a little tighter. "They're fine." She hoped Skye couldn't hear her lie.

"But where…" Skye sobbed without lifting her head. "That thing that hit me," she looked up and swiped her nose with her sleeve. "What if it did something worse to them?" She broke down again, sobbing into Daisy's embrace.

The older girl wrapped both arms around her little self and told herself everything would be fine. It had to be.

"What's wrong?" Coulson's voice preceded him into the kitchen.

"Is she hurt?" May was a step behind, hurrying around him to the girls.

"May…" Daisy breathed.

"Mommy!" Skye squealed as she was up and in May's arms before Daisy could turn around.

Daisy smiled at the sight as she moved closer to Coulson. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Had us worried for a minute there," he smiled down at her.

She was almost embarrassed by the feeling of relief and warmth his half hug gave her. She felt the warmth on her cheeks and gave a quick nod without looking up. She did not trust her voice but smiled when he one-arm hugged her a. little closer.

"Where were you guys?" Skye asked without breaking her grip on May.

Daisy did not miss the quick nonverbal exchange between May and Coulson. It was always cute and often infuriating. With Skye listening, she couldn't demand an explanation, not that they'd offer one anyway.

"Did the blue stuff get you?" Skye looked up at May but before the woman could answer, the little girl's eyes grew wide. "You went to the in-between place, didn't you?" A smile spread across her face.

May looked to Coulson and then back to the little girl who now stood between them. Skye also looked from one to the other then smiled and stomped one foot. "You did! You did go there." She smiled a laugh and turned to Daisy. "Do you think we got a big blue sploosh like that? Cool, huh?"

"Skye, we…" May started.

The little girl wrapped her arms around May's waist again. "I'm glad you're okay, mommy. I'm glad you came back."

Coulson looked at Daisy then squatted down to Skye's level. He gently turned her toward him and took her hands in his. "It's okay, sweet pickle, every one is fine."

The little girl pulled her hands free and wrapped her arms around his neck then stood back and smiled. "I know daddy. It's safe there." She looked to Daisy. "Don't worry about yer mom and dad. You know they're okay." She smiled back at Coulson before hugging him again. "I'm glad you came back, daddy." She whispered in his ear.

"Wh…" Daisy started, looking as confused as she felt. She stopped at May's glance.

"They are fine, Daisy. You have nothing to worry about." May assured her with a strange look.

Daisy scrunched up her face for a moment then relaxed. She realized Skye was seeing her own parents. For some reason the little girl did not see Coulson or May and for a moment Daisy wondered if whatever had come over the kid was affecting her as well. Maybe that wave of whatever the hell it was did something to both of them.

Coulson stood and smiled down at the little girl. "Must be almost lunch time," he patted his stomach. "Why don't you help mommy get everything ready for grilled cheese?"

The look of death on May's face let Daisy know she was dealing with her parental couple. She stifled a laugh as May glared at Coulson and guided Skye toward the refrigerator. Turning toward Coulson she lost any sense of frivolity at his expression. He cocked his head toward the dining room and she followed him there.

xx

"Things have gotten a lot worse." Coulson almost whispered before Daisy could ask. "The tremors have gotten more intense. There's been some damage."

"Coulson," Daisy kept her voice low. "We have to go back…now…before…"

"I ordered them out." He said to the floor before she could finish.

Daisy stood back and knit her brows. "You or…wha…how…" She couldn't find the words to express her shock.

Coulson was shaking his head, avoiding eye contact. "The last qua…" he looked at her briefly, "one pretty much destroyed Fitz's computer room. There's not much left."

Daisy took a breath, turning away and then back. "Are they…"

"Fine," he half smiled. "Couple scrapes…bumps…Simmons has it under control."

Now Daisy shook her head. "She'll never do it, Coulson…never…" Tears streamed down her cheeks. She knew her friends…her family. They would never leave them behind. They'd die trying to save them. She'd do the same.

Coulson pulled her into his arms in an attempt to console her but the girl pulled away. He let out a long breath as she walked toward the stairs. "Daisy," he called after her.

She stopped with her hand at the bottom of the rail. "I need to talk to her." She spoke without turning to him. "Maybe she'll listen to me."


End file.
